


Family Values

by SB1080



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:00:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 32,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27867273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SB1080/pseuds/SB1080
Summary: Alfie Solomons had successfully kept his beloved niece's existence a secret from everyone outside of Camden Town for 22 years. Now, he is forced to send her to Birmingham to stay with the Shelby family until he can eliminate the threat on her life. Meanwhile, Amie must attempt to remain true to her Solomons name while she lives in the Shelby world.
Relationships: Michael Gray/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

The sun was beginning to set as Amelia Solomons walked to her Uncle's house with a basket of groceries. She had lived with Alfie since her birth, 22 years ag,o and had cooked them both dinner since she was 12. Men and women would open doors for her, give her food and drinks on the house, and clear her path while she walked down the street. Everyone knew who she was, but no one said it. They all knew to say that she belonged to Alfie Solomons would be a mistake. If anyone who didn't already know overheard, Alfie would take their businesses, burn their houses down…. Or worse. Alfie had made an example of a man who made the mistake of calling her 'Miss Solomons' too loud in a public area years ago. After he had said it the man disappeared, and everyone knew he wouldn't be coming back. Alfie took over the man's business the next day. A bakery which now housed Alfie's rum distillery. Amie was a light spirited woman. She had an endearing laugh and innocent smile. She liked to read and when he would allow, she loved helping her Uncle in his distillery. From a distance she would have seemed like an angelic young lady, but those in Camden Town knew she had her Uncle's temper. It took a lot to make her angry, unlike Alfie, but when the switch finally flipped there was no going back until she was ready.  
As Amie walked down the street, she ran through the matzo recipe in her head. She was so focused on her ingredients, she hadn't noticed the two men that fell in step behind her. As she was looking in her basket, a man stepped in from an alley and they collided.  
"Ouch!" Amie said as her basket fell from her hands and the contents spilled out.  
The man stared down at her as she knelt to pick up her groceries.  
"You won’t need those." He said, in a thick Scottish accent.  
As she began to question the man, one of the men behind her put a hand over her mouth and another around her waist and dragged her into the alley.  
Amie struggled to get free, attempting to scream for help at no prevail. Finally, the man threw her down at the far end of the alley, against a brick wall.  
"What are you doing?" Amie asked, trying to control her fear.  
"I wanted to talk to you in private." The Scottish man said shrugging.  
"About what? Who are you?"  
"The question is, who are you?"  
Amie knew better than to tell anyone she didn't know what her name was. Alfie had always told her that if his enemies ever found out he had someone that he loved, they would use it against him. Amie stared at him, a defiant look on her face.  
The man smiled at her. "See, I already know who you are, Amelia Solomons. Beloved niece of Alfie Solomons."  
When he said her name the defiant look on her face was replaced by shock.  
"Oh yes. I know about you. Which is why I wanted to talk to you. I need you to deliver a message."  
"Wh-What kind of message?"  
"You tell your uncle that I have a rat in his rum house. And, uh, after hearing what he's told me, I've decided I'm taking over."  
"You're taking over? Your 'rat' must not be very good at his job because threatening Alfie Solomons is last thing either one of you will want to do." Amie rolled her eyes.  
The man grabbed her throat, squeezed, and raised her off the ground. Amie put her hands on his to try and pry herself free.  
"You tell your uncle he has 48 hours to pack his belongings and leave his business, or I will bleed you and leave your body for him to find on top of his fucking car."  
The man was beginning to blur when he finally released her, and she fell to her knees coughing and gagging.  
"48 hours!" he said as she looked up at him and he kicked her face as hard as he could, rendering her unconscious.  
When Amie woke, the sky was black and there was rain gently falling. Her head felt large and heavy. She slowly tried to stand and braced herself against the wall as the world began to spin too quickly. It took her a moment to remember what had happened and finally, she gained her composure and slowly began her staggered walk home.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Alfie had been looking at numbers all day. He was pleased with the figures his accountant had showed him. Leaning back in his office chair he rotated his right shoulder and stretched. As he looked at his gold pocket watch he realized how late it was and decided to call it a day. Fuck, dinner is going to be cold. He thought as he put on his jacket. He walked outside in the rain, the cool autumn air filling his lungs. As he walked down the stree,t he looked toward his house and noticed the darkness. Surely Amie isn't already in bed.  
He opened the front door of his pitch-black house and as he reached to turn on the light, he heard a whisper.  
"Please don't."  
Alfie paused. "Amie?" he asked as he began toward the sitting room where the voice came from.  
"Please don't turn on the light. It's too bright." She said in a raspy voice.  
Alfie knew something wasn't right, quickly he found the oil lamp on the shelf and dimly lit it. Alfie paused as he looked at his niece. Her head was down, resting her forehead on the palm of her hand.  
"Amelia, what happened?"  
Alfie rarely called her Amelia. Mostly it was when she was in trouble, but occasionally when they were having a serious conversation and rarely when he was worried.  
Amie shook her head. "I don't know…. There was a man…."  
Alfie drew closer and bent to get a closer look at her. She had a large knot on her forehead that no doubt would give her a black eye the next day and marks on her neck. He knew marks like those, he had given them to men more than once. But he had never put them on a woman, let alone a young 22-year-old.  
"What man?"  
"I don't know his name. He said he had a message for you."  
Amie told him what the man had said and that he had strangled her and kicked her, leaving her unconscious in a back alley. Once she had finished telling him, Alfie put his hand across his mouth and then through his hair.  
"And you don't know who he was?"  
"No, he was Scottish. That's all I know."  
"Okay. Are you alright? Do you want me to call a doctor?"  
Amie shook her head and looked at him. Tears began to form in her eyes "I dropped the groceries."  
Alfie scoffed. "I don't give a fuck about the groceries, Amelia. I will have Ollie get some for us. Are you going to be alright?" he asked as he moved her hair off her forehead to examine it.  
"Yes, I just want to clean up." She said as she got up and walked up the stairs, to her room.  
Amie took her time in the bath; her head was still throbbing and heavy. Lights bothered her so she lit a few candles and set them on the vanity. Finally, she got out and put on her robe. She walked out of the bathroom, directly into her room and noticed a box on her bed that hadn't been there when she had passed through to get in the tub.  
Thinking her uncle may have left something for her, Amie lifted the lid and immediately dropped it and screamed.


	2. Chapter 2

Alfie had just hung up the phone when Amie screamed. He immediately grabbed his revolver out of his coat pocket and ran upstairs. When he reached her room, she was standing in the doorway of her adjoining bathroom crying hysterically. He had his gun up, ready to shoot the minute he saw any sign of danger. After quickly scanning the room he turned to her and grabbed her arms.  
"What happened?" He asked  
Amie pointed to the box, unable to speak from her intense sobbing. He slowly walked to the open box on her bed. When he looked inside, he saw a large dead rat, with a note that read 48 hours.  
Alfie looked on the back of the note, as if looking to see if there were a signature from the sender. He scanned the room again and noticed the window beside Amie's bed was open.  
"Did you open that window?" He asked turning back to her.  
Amie shook her head.  
Alfie walked to the window and looked out, there wasn't a soul in sight.  
"Amie, I need you to tell me exactly when you noticed this box."  
"After I got out of the bath. I thought it was from you." She said between sobbing breaths. "It wasn't there before."  
"You're sure it wasn't there when you came up?"  
Amie nodded and a mix of fear and anger filled Alfie. There's someone in the house. He thought.  
Quickly he walked to Amie's nightstand and opened the drawer. Lifting a book, he pulled out the small pistol he had bought her for her 21st birthday. He turned back to her and bent down to be at eye level with her.  
"Ame, I need you to focus, right? I need to check the house, if someone climbed through your window they could still be here. So, you're going to have to breathe and focus."  
Amie took two deep breaths and looked at her uncle trying to focus her thoughts.  
"Good, now take this and come with me." He handed her her gun and looked around the door frame leading into the hallway. Assessing there was no one there he proceeded out, gun still raised, ready to shoot. He pointed to a chair against the wall at the end of the hall.  
"Sit there, with your gun ready. I will check the house, if you see anyone other than me, you shoot first, ask questions later."  
Amie nodded and sat, holding her gun tight, she was ready to obey her Uncle's command. Alfie searched every room and found no sign of an intruder. Walking out he motioned for her to follow and they walked down the stairs. Before Alfie could search the remainder of the rooms, there was a knock at their door. Amie jumped and let out a small scream and Alfie pointed his gun at the door. Amie moved behind him as grabbed the handle and opened.  
Ishmael, Alfie's right-hand man, saw the gun and immediately raised his hands.  
Alfie lowered his gun and said to them both "get in the car." Alfie had originally wanted Ishmael come over to discuss what men were new to his 'bakery', in the hopes he could sniff out the rat before anything else happened. But now, he had to come up with a new plan.  
Amie and Ishmael did as they were told. Ishmael in the driver's seat, Amie in the middle and Alfie in the passenger's seat.  
Alfie handed Ishmael the key and said "Drive."  
"Where are we going, boss?"  
"Don't ask questions, just drive." Alfie barked at him.  
Alfie had no idea where they were going to go. He thought over and over of a safe place. These men got into the house. Into her room. They could have easily walked in her bathroom while she was bathing and killed her or…. Alfie didn't want to think about what else they could have done to her. All while he was downstairs. This is exactly why he made a point to keep her existence a secret from everyone. He knew this was always a possibility. His theory was confirmed when Tommy Shelby's enemies had taken his son. Tommy. Alfie thought then he instructed Ishmael to take the most complicated route to Birmingham he could, in case they were followed.  
Amie had eventually calmed down and fallen asleep, leaning against her uncle's shoulder. When they began driving down Tommy Shelby's driveway, he woke her up.  
"We're here." He said gently.  
Amie blinked her tired eyes as she gazed through the dark at the large brick estate house before her.  
"What are we doing here?" She asked sleepily.  
"C'mon." was all he responded as he got out of the car.  
Amie, still shaken from the day's events, exited the car and clung close to Alfie's side. Alfie walked to the large door of the house and rang the bell continuously until a maid opened the door.  
"I need to see Tommy Shelby. Now."  
"Sir, it's late. Mr. Shelby is asleep."  
"Then fucking wake him up!" Alfie was losing his temper.  
"It's alright Francis, I'm up." A voice said in the distance.  
The maid turned and walked away as Tommy Shelby walked to the door. He looked at Alfie, then at Amie and back at Alfie again with a crease between his brow. Alfie never took his eyes off Tommy. Tommy turned and walked into his house, Alfie and Amie following. They entered Tommy's study and Tommy sat down behind his desk.  
"It's 1 o'clock in the morning, Alfie." Tommy stated almost irritated but more curious than anything.  
"Yeah, I fucking know what time it is. " Alfie replied. He was stressed and was unsure of where to start. "Amie go wait outside the door"  
Amie looked at him as if she had heard him wrong. "But,…"  
Alfie looked at her with a stern face. "Amelia." He said and she knew better than to argue.  
Amie walked slowly to the door and looked back hesitantly as she opened the door. Alfie gave her a nod and she walked out and shut the door.  
Alfie turned back to Tommy who was sitting with his chin propped on his thumb and his fore and middle fingers over his mouth. He raised his eyebrows as if asking Alfie what he was doing there.  
"What do you know about any Scots in London?"  
Tommy looked at him curiously. "I know there's a family that owns a pub, and there are others that work in the mills there."  
"Have you heard of any Scottish gangs looking to take up shop?"  
"No. What does this have to do with you showing up at my door in the early morning hours?"  
Alfie then told Tommy about what had happened, from Amie getting kidnapped and drug into the alley, to the box on her bed. When he was done, Tommy looked at him.  
"I didn't know you had a niece, Alfie." Tommy said nonchalantly  
"Well that's the fucking point isn't it? You don't tell the whole world if you have something or someone you care about. Otherwise, they get kidnapped or killed. You of all people should understand that."  
Tommy clenched his jaw and paused for a moment. "Alright Alfie, how many men do you need?"  
Alfie shook his head. "I don't want men."  
"Then what do you want? Leads? I can ask around."  
Alfie continued to shake his head. "No."  
Tommy looked at Alfie, finally understanding why this meeting couldn't have waited until morning.  
"You need a safehouse."  
Alfie looked at Tommy and pursed his lips. "I need to keep her somewhere safe. Just until I can find these fucking Scots and kill them."  
"Why here?" Tommy was intrigued to find out why Alfie would trust him with the niece he seemed to genuinely care about.  
"You do bad things Tommy. Just like me. But you also have morals. And a fucking family. If anyone understands the importance of keeping one's child safe. It's you."  
"And what of Goliath?"  
"What about him?"  
"Well he's your nephew, isn't he?"  
"And?"  
"Will he also need safekeeping?"  
"Fucking hell Tommy, Goliath is a grown lad he can take care of himself. Now, are we going to talk price?"  
Tommy sat quietly for a moment before finally agreeing to house Alfie's niece and agreeing to a price for his protection.  
Amie stood outside the study door, leaning against the wall when she heard Alfie call for her. She walked back in the room and saw the two men standing by the drink cart.  
"This is my niece Amelia. Amelia, this is Tommy Shelby."  
She eyed Tommy curiously.  
As Amie looked at him, Tommy was able to examine her. He noticed the large knot on her forehead, the bruise beginning to show under her eye, and then he saw the purple and red marks on her neck from being choked.  
"Now. There are some rules, right?" Alfie said as Amie looked at him and creased her brow.  
"First, you do not go anywhere without a member of the Shelby family. I don't care if they have been Peakys since they were three. If they are not a family member of Tommy's you don't go anywhere with them" Saying this rule he looked at Tommy, who knew this was not only a rule for Amie, but for Tommy as well.  
"Second. You stay away from any and all gypsy men. You don't touch them, they don't touch you. Ever. Third, you do not tell anyone where you are from or your last name. Right?"  
"Why do I need rules" Amie asked as she began to put together what her uncle was insinuating.  
"Last rule. You do not come to Camden Town, write or call me, unless it is an emergency. Here is some money. Tommy will give you more if you need it." Alfie forced a large sum of money in her hand as Amie looked at him in shock.  
"Why would I need to call you? What exactly are you saying?" Amie's heart began to race. She thought she knew why he was making rules, but she needed him to say it.  
"You'll be staying here until I can get things sorted in London." Alfie said matter-of-factly  
"No. no." Amie said shaking her head. "I'm not staying here. This place is…. I can't…. they're fucking gypsies. No."  
Amie began to walk toward the front door when Alfie grabbed her wrist forcing her to turn to him.  
"You will stay here. You will follow the rules." Alfie told her in a stern voice.  
Tears began to well into her eyes. "But…"  
"No. No buts. No arguing. You'll do as your fucking told. This is too important."  
Amie looked at her uncle in disbelief. This made no sense. He had never let her travel outside of London by herself, now he was just going to leave her there with strangers?  
Alfie put his hands on her shoulders and bent down, "It's just for a few days." Then he kissed the top of her head and walked away, leaving her shocked and frozen in Tommy Shelby's door frame.


	3. Chapter 3

Alfie got into the passenger seat of his car, careful not to look at Amie and said "Drive."  
"Uh, boss?" Ishmael responded.  
"I said fucking drive."  
Ishmael slowly took his foot off the brake and when there was no hesitation or objection from Alfie, he began to drive away.  
The moment Ishmael stepped on the accelerator, Amie's paralysis left her and she began to run towards the car. Why was this happening? I've been attacked and now he just leaves me with a bunch of gyspies? It's a test or …. Something. She thought as the car continued to drive and she continued to run after it.  
Seeing Amie in the mirror Ishmael slowed.  
"Did I say you could fucking stop?" Alfie barked.  
"But sir, Miss Solomons….."  
"I'm not fucking blind, I can see her. But did I say you could slow down?"  
"Sir?"  
Suddenly Alfie pulled out his gun and put the barrel on Ishmael's temple. Ishmael looked straight ahead.  
"If you tell a soul, where we came tonight or where she is I will but a bullet through your fucking skull. You are the only one who knows where she is so, if anyone finds out I will know it was you."  
"The gypsies know where she is…" Ishmael offered.  
"Then you better pray they keep their fucking mouths shut." Alfie hesitated a moment then removed the gun from Ishmael's temple. "Now, drive. And don't fucking stop until I tell you you can."  
Ishmael drove out the gates and toward London. Alfie watched his niece grow smaller in the mirror and clenched his jaw.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Amie had stopped running halfway down the drive and stood in shock as her uncle 's car drove off.  
As Tommy walked up behind her, she said, "He just…. He fff…." She stammered as she put her palm against her temple. "He just fucking left me…." She finished in disbelief. Amie reached back as if reaching for a chair and then began to sit on the gravel, her eyes scanning the ground as if she were looking for an answer to her problems in the rocks.  
Tommy waited a moment before clearing his throat and saying, "We should get inside. My maid is preparing a room for you."  
Amie slowly got up and followed Tommy, occasionally looking behind her as if expecting to see her uncle coming back. When they entered the house, the maid had said she lit a fire in one of the guest bedrooms and as Amie began to follow her, she stopped and turn to Tommy.  
"I don't have a nightdress. Or any clothes for that matter."  
"I will send something up for you. And tomorrow I can send you into town with my sister for new clothes."  
Amie stood looking out the window in an upstairs guest bedroom when the maid knocked on the door and brought in a nightdress for her to wear that night. Amie laid in bed not long after and processed the events of the day. Alfie had always made a point to protect her. He had said that everything he did was for her, to give her a future with any opportunity she wanted. She had often criticized him for being overprotective, but he had always said that giving her the world came at a cost. Now, she was lying in a strange bed, in a strange house, owned by a strange man. Her uncle was the one she always could go to with problems and he would protect her. Growing up he would check under her bed for monsters and scare away her nightmares, he picked her up when she fell off her bicycle and told her to try again, as she got older he taught her to shoot a gun and to punch like a man. "It's me and you against the world." He had always told her. Now, she wasn't even allowed to call or write him. She felt like she had lost her home and her freedom all in one night. And for what? Alfie could have protected her. He could always protect her. Thinking these thoughts, Amie turned on her side and pulled her knees up to her chest and slowly drifted off to sleep.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Alfie and Ishmael rode in silence back to Camden Town. Alfie's mind was racing. He had gone from looking at his profitable business' numbers to dropping his niece off in Birmingham for protection. It infuriated him that it had come to this, but without knowing who he could trust in Camden, he had no other choice. Alfie remembered the day Amie was born. He was in the room when his sister gave birth and she was so small Alfie thought he might break her when he held her. When his sister began to bleed out the doctor told him to take the baby and go in the other room. He held the little infant as her mother took her last breaths on the other side of the closed door. The baby didn't cry, she just looked at Alfie and he looked at her. Once Alfie's sister had passed, he asked his mother where the father was. His sister never chose the right men. Always flighty and worthless, but Alfie was determined to make the baby's father step up and be a man. Once Alfie found him and told him about what had happened to the baby's mother, the man told Alfie he wouldn't take in a bastard child and if they brought the kid to him, he would leave it by the river for the wolves to find. That was the first man Alfie had ever 'taken care of'. When he came back to the house two days later, he picked the newborn baby up and looked her in the eyes. "Amelia. That's her name." He said as he looked at his mother. "Amelia Solomons." From that moment on she belonged to Alfie. She slept on his chest at night as a baby, and when she was too big to do that, he would tuck her in and tell her extravagant stories about the things she would do one day. He didn't know what had created that close bond between them. He didn't feel that way towards his nephew or any other member of his family. He had decided a long time ago that she was always meant to be his. She was his child, whether or not he had biologically fathered her. Maybe that's why his throat constricted when he told Ishmael to drive away, leaving her behind. It pained him to leave her in the hands of a bunch of gypsies instead of being able to keep her safe with him. But he knew the most important thing to Tommy Shelby was his family. And he knew because of that, Tommy would keep her safe. That, and the good money Alfie was paying him to do so.  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
The next morning Amie woke up, her head was hurting still but not because of the abuse she took on the day before. Emotionally and mentally she was drained. She laid in bed for hours until there was a knock at the door. When Amie didn't answer, a young brunette woman in her late 20s or early 30s peeked her head in.  
"You're awake, good." She said gently. "I've brought you a dress, I wasn't sure what size you were, but Tommy said something of mine should fit you." Ada looked at Amie and tilted her head. Amie continued to lay on her side, not returning Ada's stare.  
"Alright, well. I will just leave this here and when you are ready, you can get dressed and come downstairs. Then we can go find you some clothes that fit you properly."  
Ada looked at her for a moment and then exited the room so Amie could get dressed. When Amie had put on the dress and shoes Ada had brought her as well as a scarf and hat provided by Tommy (she didn't know where it came from, nor did she want to ask) she went downstairs and found Tommy, Ada, and a woman in her 40s in the parlor.  
"This is her?" Polly asked Tommy, who nodded. "No, I don't like it. How do we even know she truly is his niece?" Polly added as though Amie wasn't there.  
Amie shot a scowl in Polly's direction.  
"You weren't here Poll. Trust me, It's his niece. Alfie was….. scared."  
"My Uncle isn't scared of anything!" Amie shot at Tommy defensively.  
The room looked at her.  
"Your uncle was a soldier – "  
"Captain." Amie corrected.  
Tommy excused her interruption. "He's seen some bad things. He knows what people are capable of. If it had just been him they were after, he wouldn't have been scared. He can handle himself. But they targeted you."  
"You think you know so bloody much because your enemies kidnapped your son." Amie said rolling her eyes.  
"That's why Alfie brought you here. Because I understand. And I know from experience, he was scared when your safety was threatened."  
Amie's sour face disappeared and finally she sighed and said, "So, are we going to town or not?"  
The remainder of the afternoon went well enough. Ada was kind and Amie appreciated that. She could see some similarities in Ada and herself. After they had finished shopping and Amie had purchased all necessities, they returned to Tommy's house for dinner. As they walked in, the maid began to take shopping bags. Amie had never had a maid, her uncle thought to have them was frivolous. Of course, certain frivolity was permitted when it suited him. But Amie came to agree with him about maids. It seemed almost lazy to her to have someone do everything that you could do for yourself. When they entered the sitting room the whole Shelby clan was there.  
"If you're not allowed to go anywhere without a member of my family with you, then you might as well meet them." Tommy said before he went around the room introducing everyone. They all stared at her. His two brothers, John and Arthur, didn't seem keen on having her in the house and the youngest didn't look as though he knew anything that was going on. Aunt Polly made it very clear her stance on having Amie in the house and the young man sitting beside her looked as though he couldn't care less. Michael sat there smoking his cigarette and looked her up and down.  
Amie hadn't realized how hungry she was until she looked at the table lined with roasted chicken, boiled potatoes, and carrots. Her mouth began to water instantly as she sat down. They ate in silence. Amie felt as if everyone were staring at her.  
"So, Amelia…." Tommy started  
"Amie, please. My uncle is the only one that calls me Amelia, and its usually when he's cross with me." She said offering a small smile, which Tommy returned with a nod.  
"Amie, how was your afternoon, did you spend all of Alfie's money?"  
"No," she replied with a chuckle, "Just most of it."  
"This is ridiculous! You're sitting here making small talk and we are supposed to act like we don't know what is going on." Polly said slamming down her fork and knife. "Alfie is up to something. That's why she is here."  
"We've been over this." Tommy said giving her a stern look.  
"Yeah, and what happens when I'm right?" Polly said defiantly  
"If you're right then you can be in charge. Eh?"  
"Oh, please. The lot of you don't listen to me as it is. It's not like me being right, again would change anything." She responded pursing her lips.  
"Yeah, why is she here?" Arthur finally asked.  
"I've told you. For her protection." Tommy said growing irritated  
"What? Alfie can't even take care of his own niece; he needs us to do his job for him?" John said  
Amie froze and stared at John, anger flushing her face.  
"Yeah well what do you expect John Boy? We all know cockneys ain't good for nothing." Arthur said as the two of them began to laugh.  
"Unless you want to kill a gypsy that is….." Amie said staring at Arthur. "Or have you forgotten that if it wasn't for your brother here making a deal, you would have been swinging at the end of a rope, complements of cockney Alfie Solomons."  
Anger flashed on Arthurs face as he and Amie scowled at each other, never blinking.  
"My point exactly, he tries to kill Arthur then we invite her into our houses giving her all access to us?" Polly said as if she had won an argument.  
"That was a long time ago. We have put it behind us. Haven't we Arthur?" Tommy said  
After clenching his jaw numerous times, Arthur finally said, "Right Tom."  
They ate their dinner in silence and the party left with the exception of Polly and Michael. Tommy took Polly into his study and discussed business while Michael and Amie sat in the parlor.  
"How long have you lived with your uncle?" Michael asked  
"Since I was born."  
Michael thought for a moment, doing the math in his head. "He must have been what? 14?"  
"15." Amie was purposely being short. She didn't want any more discussion with the lot of them.  
"So, he raised a baby by himself when he was 15?" Michael asked skeptically.  
"He wasn't by himself. I had a grandmother until I was six."  
Michael scoffed. "You're lying. Alfie would never do something like that."  
"Oh, you think you know him so well, do you?"  
"I know him well enough."  
"Well enough for what?" Amie shot back  
"Enough to know I don't like him."  
"Well I don't like you."  
"You're cockney, you don't like anyone." Michael said.  
They stared at each other.  
"Don't talk about my Uncle again." Amie ordered smoothly.  
"Or what?" Michael said growing closer to her.  
"Or I promise you will regret it."  
Michael chuckled and smiled.  
"What are you going to do? Tell your uncle?" He mocked.  
Amie wrapped her hand around the fireplace poker handle, but before she could act on any impulse, Tommy reappeared in the room.  
"Is everything alright?" He asked, sensing the tension in the room  
Michael and Amie never broke eye contact, both clenching their jaws.  
"fine." Amie responded after a moment and she released the poker and walked out of the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Alfie grunted. "They're looking for it, Tommy."  
"it's safe" Tommy reassured him. Then Alfie hung up.  
Tommy walked back into the parlor to see Amie looking at him, her eyes wide with anxious curiosity.  
"Was that…?" Amie asked.  
"Yes, I don't know details but apparently they have noticed your absence and are looking for you."  
"So, I'm not going home any time soon, am I?" She said, her face falling.  
"I'm going to see what I can find out. Between your uncle and I, we have enough resources to find out something."  
The days that followed left both Amie and Alfie frustrated. Alfie was frustrated because he found nothing, regardless of the number of people he asked and threatened, there was no lead. Amie wanted to go home. As each day passed Amie grew angry, her temper getting shorter. On Friday the Shelby's decided to go to the Garrison for a drink, Amie in tow. When they walked in the pub, the smell of alcohol and smoke filled their nostrils. They all began to socialize, and Amie went straight to the bar.  
"Rum." She insisted. "Make it a large glass."  
The bartender hesitated for a moment before pouring her a glass. Amie drank it in one gulp and looked at the man for another. She swallowed the second one. As she walked back to the table, she carried her third glass of rum. Her cheeks were beginning to flush as she sat down. She held her rum well, she drank it regularly at home. As she sat, she overheard whispering and a laugh behind her. As she glanced back, she saw a girl about her age looking at her. The girl gave her a resenting look before turning away.  
Amie looked back at the Shelbys, not listening to what they were saying. As Michael began to talk, loathing filled her.  
"We need to run more crates through London." He began.  
"We aren't talking business here, Michael." Polly said shooting a look at Amie.  
"I don't fucking care about your business." Amie said taking a large drink of her glass.  
"What the matter with you?" Michael asked  
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe, I am sick and fucking tired of being here with you."  
"Go back then. Then you can go back to being your uncle's problem."  
Another laugh came from the girl behind her and Amie inhaled a sharp breath and closed her eyes before getting up and walking to the bar.  
"Gimme the bottle." Amie said to the bartender as she sat her empty glass on the counter.  
The bartender stared at her, unmoving.  
"I said, give me the fucking bottle!"  
Reluctantly he grabbed the bottle of rum and put it on the counter. Amie grabbed it and rolled her eyes at him. Taking a drink from the bottle she walked towards her table. Glancing over she saw the girl looking her up and down, then turned to the man she was with, whispered something and laughed again. Amie walked to the girls table and put her bottle right on the table right in front of the girl.  
"What's your name?" Amie asked sternly  
"Mary." The girl responded with a confused look on her face.  
"Is something funny, Mary?" Amie was starting to sway  
Mary smiled and looked at the man, then gave a side eye to Amie, "No. Nothing at all."  
Amie scoffed and turned to walk away when she heard Mary whisper, "Bitch."  
Amie turned around and slowly made her way to Mary. She lowered herself down so they were at eye level. She stared at Mary and slightly squinted her eyes, so much like her uncle.  
Suddenly Amie grabbed Mary's hair and pulled her out of the chair. Mary screamed and the Shelby men stood up, unsure of what was happening. Amie threw her down and punched her. Then Amie grabbed her run bottle and began hitting Mary with the blunt side of the bottle. Out of nowhere, arms grabbed Amie around her waist and pulled her off the girl.  
"Enough!" Tommy said  
Amie turned around and pushed Tommy. As she did, Michael stepped up to attempt to contain her. Amie took one look at Michael and punched him as hard as she could on his right cheek bone. He backhanded her across her face. She put her hand over her mouth, feeling the blood draining from her split lip when she looked up.  
Tommy had rushed to stop Michael. He pushed Michael outside, while the remainder of the Shelby group followed along with Amie, and said, "What are you fucking doing? She is here for protection Michael! If her uncle comes tomorrow and sees this.." He pointed to Amie's busted lip, "what do you think he will do, eh?"  
"She hit me first." Michael insisted.  
"We aren't on a fucking school yard. No one touches her." Tommy said sternly.  
"Yeah, I –" Amie started but Tommy interrupted.  
"No. You don't say a word. Not a fucking word. I made an agreement with your uncle that I can end with a phone call at any time."  
"Then call him." Amie insisted  
Tommy shook his head. "You think your uncle brought you here for a holiday? Your life has been threatened. And until Alfie thinks it's safe for you to come back you are stuck here. So, you can fight with Michael and anyone else all you want but the fact is, you need us. You want to go home, but what will Alfie say if your behavior is why you end up in Camden while there is still a reward on your head, eh?"  
Amie didn't respond. She knew that Alfie would be more cross with her than he had ever been if that were the case.  
"You will control yourself. You understand?" He said pointing in her face and he waited for her to nod. "And no more fucking drinking." He added.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Amie woke with a headache. As she walked downstairs, Tommy was walking toward his study.  
"Eat some breakfast, then you are going to Polly's for the day." He said looking down at his paper  
"Why?" She responded hatefully  
Tommy stopped and looked at her, "because John, Arthur, and I have business to attend to. The ladies are managing the gambling office in Small Heath, so you are spending the day with Michael."  
"Oh! That's just a lovely fucking idea! We get into a fight and you throw us in a house together. You'll be lucky if you find us both alive at the end of the day."  
"Just don't burn the house down when you kill each other." He said as he looked back down at his paper and shut his door.  
An hour later Tommy was walking Amie to the door at Polly's house.  
"So, you and Michael will stay here today. You will both meet us at my house at 6 o'clock for dinner." He instructed them.  
As he and Polly left the house, she looked at Tommy and said, "Are you sure this is a good idea? She could just come to the office with me."  
"They will either learn to get along today or they'll kill each other. Either way, the fighting will stop." He said as they got in the car and drove to Small Heath.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Amie and Michael stood awkwardly in the foyer as they were left in the house alone. Amie turned to walk into the sitting room and examined the house.  
"Looking for something to steal?" Michael accused.  
"Actually, I was looking for the best weapon to kill you with that I could make it look like an accident." She said nonchalantly  
Michael scoffed and walked into the other room. They stayed in separate rooms for two hours, after that point Amie went into the kitchen and began looking for something to eat. She scanned the meat and vegetables and started the oven. Thirty minutes later the house smelled wonderful and Michael wandered in the kitchen.  
"Are you hungry?" Amie asked  
"If you think I am going to eat anything you cook, you're mad."  
"I didn't say you could eat any of it. I just asked if you were hungry. To be honest, I'm surprised your mum doesn't have a maid or a cook."  
"She does have a maid, but she is on holiday visiting family."  
Amie fixed her a plate and sat at the table and began to eat as Michael watched her. Finally, she rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, go on then."  
Reluctantly, Michael made himself a plate and sat down. Damn, this is actually good, He thought after taking a bite. They ate in silence, occasionally giving each other nasty looks.  
"So, your uncle raised you. What happened to your parents?" Michael asked after they had finished.  
"My mum died in childbirth. And my father died after he told my uncle he didn't want anything to do with me." She responded as she put the dishes in the sink and turned around.  
Michael chuckled, "He killed your father?"  
"Well he wasn't a good person apparently. Didn't want anything to do with me or my mum from the time he found out she was pregnant."  
Michael thought for a moment. "It's hard not to want anything to do with someone when you're married to them."  
Amie clenched her jaw and turned around to begin washing dishes.  
"They weren't married, were they?" He asked and when she didn't respond he added with an I-knew-it tone, "You're a bastard."  
"I am not a bastard, I'm an orphan. And anyways, Alfie is the only parent I've ever needed. The other man might have been my father, but Alfie has been my dad when it's mattered."  
"Doesn't change the fact that you're a bastard and your father didn't want you." He said trying to push the limits.  
"It was so peaceful the first two hours I was here. Why don't you go back to where you were?" She said as she walked out of the kitchen.  
The remainder of the day they avoided each other. When they did end up in the same room, they would exchange snarky comments and move on. Finally, it was time to head back to Tommy's. They fought the entire car ride.  
"Well, this was fun. Let's never do it again." She said sardonically as she got out of the car.  
As they walked in the house it was quiet. None of the other Shelbys had made it in yet so her and Michael walked into the sitting room to get a drink.  
"Hm. I wonder where the maid is. Usually, she meets us at the door." Amie said.  
"Maybe she saw it was you, so she left."  
Amie gave him an exasperated look and she began to walk into the dining room. As she turned the corner, she saw the maid's hand on the ground.  
"Francis?" Amie called out curiously  
She finished going around the corner and saw the maid on the ground in a puddle of blood. Amie's heart began to race as she looked at the large slit on her throat that the blood was flowing from. Amie stood frozen for a moment and as she examined the maid, she realized the puddle was growing. It's fresh. They're still here.  
Amie stepped back, never taking her eyes off the maid and said, "Michael."  
She heard a noise behind her and as she turned around, she saw the man that had grabbed her and drug her into the alley standing behind Michael with his arm around Michael's throat.  
Amie froze.  
"Wh-what are you doing here?" She asked  
"Looking for you, of course." He said in his thick Scottish accent.  
"How did you find me?"  
"We got a list of business colleagues from our resource in London. Went down the list and now we've found you."  
Amie was wracking her brain, trying to think of what she was going to do. Michael was clearly thinking the same thing because when the man began to say something else, Michael elbowed him in the kidney and the man released him. Michael reached for his gun, but the man tried to beat him to it, resulting in it falling and sliding across the floor and under the large china cabinet. Amie rushed forward to help, but the man had drawn a blade from his ankle and cut Michael's arm, then he grabbed her. He knocked her to the ground and stood on his knees above her. He reached for the bottom of her skirt.  
"No!" She screamed and tried to kick her way out. The man laughed, still grabbing her skirt and as he started to pull it up, Michael tackled him. The man's tight grip on her skirt caused it to rip up to her thigh. The two men began to fight, punching at each other and rolling on the ground. The Scottish man was bigger than Michael and eventually Michael was unable to get the upper hand. The man punched Michael over and over, Amie knew if she didn't do something, he would be either knocked unconscious or dead, which would leave her alone at the Scottish man's mercy.  
Quickly she ran and grabbed the fire iron and swung it down as hard as she could. The curved pointed edge stabbed him in the back of the shoulder. He screamed and began to turn to her. She used all of her strength to pull up, bringing blood and flesh with the curved edge as it came. Then she slammed it down again on top of him. She repeated, splattering herself and everything in the vicinity with blood until the man was dead. As Michael got up, he went to grab the fire iron from her and she stepped back, holding it tight, her eyes wide with fear of what had just happened. Michael's face was bloody and swelling but he kept eye contact with her as he came closer and put his hand out to meet hers.  
"He's dead. It's ok." He said gently as he grabbed the fire iron and threw it to the ground.  
Amie's breathing quickened and her chin began to tremble as she fought the emotions that were coming to her. She covered her mouth and closed her eyes and Michael stepped up and began to put an arm around her when he swayed. She looked at him concerned and he used her for support as the reality of being beat came back to him and his body.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Tommy and his brothers arrived at the gate at the same time as Polly and the ladies. They parked and talked as they walked up the steps. When the door opened, John was the first to look across the parlor and into the sitting room.  
"Tommy." He said urgently, never looking away from the room.  
The remainder of the party all stopped to see what John was looking at. Tommy rushed into the sitting room that was covered with blood splatter and saw a dead man in the middle of the room with the bloody fire iron next to him. He heard a sniff and looked up to see Michael and Amie sitting against the wall next to the fireplace. Michael was sitting with his back against the wall, in and out of consciousness, with his head between Amie's chin and chest. Amie was sitting with her legs over Michael's and her side to the wall, her arms wrapped around Michael's neck holding him tight. Tommy noticed the skirt of her dress was ripped almost up to her hip. She looked at Tommy and he looked at her for a quick moment and as he began to say something to her Polly stepped forward.  
"Oh my god, Michael what happened?" She insisted  
"He attacked….." Was all Michael could say. Polly looked at Amie, who now had tears growing in her eyes.  
"That man, he….. He found me." Amie said.  
Polly looked at her son then down at Amie's leg and examined the blood splattered across Amie's face.  
"You did this?" Tommy asked as he stood from examining the dead man.  
Amie nodded, "he was going to kill us… I…." She was at a loss for words  
"You did good." Tommy said.  
"We need to get him to the hospital." Polly insisted.  
"John, Arthur, take Michael. I will meet you all there." Tommy ordered  
They did as instructed and Polly followed. Amie watched them go as she remained sitting on the floor. Tommy knelt down, looked again at her split skirt, then looked in Amie's eyes.  
"Did he hurt you?" He asked delicately.  
"No. Michael tackled him before….." She clenched her jaw and looked down.  
Tommy nodded.  
"The maid… she's…. in the dining room." The way she said it, Tommy knew what she meant.  
"I'll have someone come take care of it. And of him." He said nodding toward the dead man. "I need to call Alfie."  
"Can I talk to him?"  
"First I need you to tell me everything that happened."  
Amie told him the details of what had happened and then they stood and walked into his study where he picked up the phone and called Camden Town.  
Alfie grunted as he picked up the phone.  
"They found the package." Tommy said  
Alfie's body went cold. "And?"  
"He has been taken care of."  
"He?"  
"There was only one. But when he doesn't come back the others will come."  
Alfie grunted. "And is she…?"  
"She's alright. She wants to talk to you."  
"Go on then."  
Tommy handed her the phone.  
"Uncle?" Amie said  
"Are you alright?" he asked  
At the sound of his voice she began to sob, "I want to come home."  
"I know, give me two days, yeah?"  
"But they already found me. I'm not hidden anymore. Can't I just come home now?"  
"The others won’t notice he's gone yet. Give me two days and I will come and get you."  
"Your word." She insisted  
"I will be there." He assured her.


	6. Chapter 7

They hung up and Tommy instructed her to go get herself cleaned up, when she came back down Tommy was looking at the bodies with a man named Johnny Dogs who would be 'taking care' of them. Amie should be used to this as her uncle often needed things 'taken care of', but this was different. This man tried to kill her and worse. If it hadn't been for Michael, he would have succeeded. A sinking feeling formed in the pit of her stomach.  
"Any word on Michael?" She asked  
"They are keeping him over night. No significant damage that they can tell."  
Amie nodded.  
"Would you like to go to the hospital?" Tommy asked curiously  
Amie nodded again.  
As they waked into Michael's room, Polly stood up. Tommy nodded for her to follow him and they went to the other end of the room and talked in low whispers. Meanwhile, Amie sat in the chair and looked at Michael. His face was clean but, covered in bruises. He looked miserable. Amie stared at him, the lump returning to her throat. They had been fighting since she had arrived in Birmingham, he hated her. But he still ended up in the hospital out of an attempt to save her. He had not only saved her from death but had saved her from being forced into a situation that would have changed the way she looked at herself forever. Lost in thought, she didn't notice anyone had walked up behind her until Tommy cleared his throat.  
"I've been ungrateful." Amie said, keeping her eyes on Michael  
Tommy stayed silent  
"I apologize, Mr. Shelby." She offered and looked at him  
Tommy nodded and gave a small smile. "I know it's been scary for you."  
"My uncle is a dangerous man. And I have always known what he's done, but I have never been a part of it until now."  
"Yeah, well. You're tough, like him or that man wouldn't have been dead when I got there."  
She looked at Tommy and knew that he had accepted her apology. She felt somewhat relieved of her guilt, but she stayed looking at Michael.  
"We should get you to bed, eh?" Tommy said  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Amie laid in bed that night thinking of the ways she could make up her rude behavior to the family, and finally decided she would make them dinner the next day.  
Tommy came downstairs the next morning to find Amie already in the dining room eating.  
"Good morning." She offered with a smile.  
"You're up early." He responded  
"I've been thinking…. I want to make it up to you, my behavior this past week. I'm usually very controlled but, there's been so much excitement going on this week I just….." She paused. "Anyway, I would like to cook you all dinner. Tonight."  
Tommy looked at her, he could see the sincerity on her face. "for the whole family?"  
"Yes."  
"That's a lot of mouths to cook for"  
"You underestimate me, Mr. Shelby" She said with a coy grin  
"Alright. What time?" returned an amused grin  
"Six o'clock." She said, a smile captivating her face.  
Tommy then let his family know they were to be at his house for dinner that night. Amie was excited. She enjoyed cooking for her uncle, and he would occasionally have Ishmael, his wife Sarah, Goliath, and Ollie over for dinner. Now, she had a whole new audience to try and impress.  
By the time the evening came, Amie had been cooking for hours. She moved it all to the dining room table and went into the sitting room where the family was. Immediately, she saw Michael. He was still bruised and swollen but he was conscious.  
"It's ready." She said nervously  
The family went in the dining room and began to eat. They commended her for her cooking and even John and Arthur had second helpings. When they were finished, the family went back into the sitting room. Amie began to follow when she realized Michael was not amongst the group. She looked around and saw him walking outside on the back patio and she followed.  
She shut the door behind her and breathed in the cold crisp air as Michael lit a cigarette. He glanced back to see who had followed him and when he saw it was Amie, he turned his head back to the back garden.  
Amie took a deep breath and walked forward. "I was hoping to catch you."  
Michael said nothing.  
"Michael I…"She began but she couldn't find the words to truly express the way she felt.  
"You don't have to say anything." He said.  
"No, I do. I've been so cross with you and I had no reason to be. And then you saved me last night, I don't even have the words."  
"It was for the good of the company. We made an agreement that your uncle is paying us for."  
"Agreement or not, you didn't have to stop him from….." She trailed off and he turned to face her.  
"Yes, I did." He said gently and they stared in each other's eyes for a brief moment until he turned and walked back inside.  
Amie stood outside looking at the garden contemplating their conversation. It gave her a strange feeling, one that made her nervous and made her chest feel tight.  
The remainder of the night went well, they had drinks and played cards, the women winning almost every hand. Amie laughed more than she had since she got there, eventually the thought of her own family came to her mind and she excused herself. She grabbed a blanket from the linen closet and walked outside.  
Picking a spot on the lawn, she laid her blanket down, sprawled out on it, and looked up at the stars. After 10 minutes she heard footsteps in the grass and looked to see who it was.  
"What are you doing? You're going to catch a cold." Michael asked carrying another blanket.  
"When I was ten or so my uncle would grab a blanket and we would ride his horse to a field outside of Camden. We would look up at the stars and find shapes or just look at them and he would tell me stories."  
"at the end of autumn?" Michael asked sitting on the blanket beside her and unfolding the one he carried.  
Amie chuckled. "No, it was spring and summer. But the cold air isn't that bad." She said as she took half of the unfolded blanket Michael offered and put in in her lap.  
"It's odd to me when you tell stories about Alfie like that."  
"Why?"  
"Well Alfie doesn't strike me as paternal in any form of the word."  
"Of course he wouldn't to you. The only time you have encountered him it's been on business. Our family is smaller than yours, but he is a family man too."  
"Other than Goliath I didn't know he had any family."  
"My cousin came to live with us when my Aunt Francis took off. He was 12. He lived with us until he was 18. Then we all decided he needed his own place. He was bringing all kinds of girls home. I'll never get some of those images out of my head." Amie said shaking them away.  
"And Alfie doesn't bring women home?" Michael asked raising an eyebrow  
"Of course he does, but my room is on the other side of the house from his. And he doesn't let them stay the night, so I don't have to see them in the mornings over breakfast."  
"And does he let your men stay for breakfast?"  
"Well that is a very forward question! What makes you think I take men home?"  
"Don't you?" Michael asked his curiosity growing  
"No. I don't."  
"Ever?" He asked appalled.  
"Why would you think that I would? Do gypsy women have men over all the time?"  
"No, but it's not like they don't fuck around."  
"So, you think I fuck around?"  
"No. I just meant, the way you look…. I assumed you'd have a lot of men."  
"The way I look?" Amie was offended. "Do I look like a whore?"  
"Don't get your knickers in a twist. I just meant you're…" he took a deep breath "you're attractive is all I meant."  
"Oh." She replied.  
They laid on the ground still looking at the sky when she looked over at him. "Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?"  
He turned his head and looked at her. "You're the one that started being hateful to me."  
"That's not how I remember it." She said raising her eyebrows  
He looked into her amber eyes and the corner of his mouth turned up, "Well that's how it happened."  
Again, they stared at each other, the tight feeling in her chest returning. She thought for a moment that he would kiss her when they heard "Michael!" and the moment passed.  
They looked up to see Polly standing on the steps and they began to get up, gather the blankets and walk to the house.  
"Are you trying to get a fever? Laying in the grass in this weather." She said shaking her head as they walked to the car.  
Amie watched them walk away and Michael looked back briefly at her. That night as Amie laid in bed she thought about Michael. Had she been rude to him first? Did it really matter? Would he have kissed her if Polly hadn't interrupted? Did she want him to? He's a gypsy, Amie. She thought as she exhaled a deep breath. He's forbidden fruit. Then she drifted off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

The following day Amie prepared her things to go home. She didn't know what time her uncle would be there, but she wanted to be prepared when he came. As she walked downstairs, she saw Tommy in the foyer.  
"Do you –" She started  
"He rang this morning. He won't be here until 9 o'clock tomorrow."  
"But, he said…."  
"Apparently there is a lead. He wanted you to stay one more day. However, you will be staying at Polly's tonight."  
"Polly's?" Amie asked. Her mind instantly went to Michael.  
"I have business to take care of tonight. They will be here to pick you up in the afternoon."  
Business? Amie thought. That he needs me out of the house for? She rolled her eyes. If he is having a lady over, he might as well just say it.  
Sure enough, the doorbell rang that afternoon and as Amie went to the door expecting Polly, she stopped as a brunette woman walked in the door.  
"Well, you're awfully posh to be doing…. Business, with Tommy." Amie said with a coy half smile  
"Am I? Is there a certain look that one should aim for when doing business" She replied.  
"I suppose it depends on what kind of business you do." Amie said in a presumptuous tone, her smile widening.  
"I beg your pardon?"  
Amie looked at Tommy and said with a smiling glance back at the woman, "I'll, uh, wait outside for the car."  
As Amie walked outside, she heard the woman ask Tommy, "Who was that?" to which he replied with the shake of his head "Someone that is too much like her uncle."  
The car pulled up and Amie got in the backseat.  
"Whose car is that?" Michael asked.  
"Some posh woman." Amie answered.  
"May Carleton." Polly said. "Go on, drive."  
"Is she a whore?" Amie asked  
"No, she's a horse trainer. You think a whore could afford that car?" Polly responded.  
"Well, none of the whores in London at least."  
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
They ate dinner and sat in the parlor that evening. Polly read a paper and Amie read her book. Occasionally she would glance up at Michael who she found to be already staring at her. Every time this happened Amie would quickly look back at her book and suppress a smile. Eventually Polly excused herself to bed and left the two of them alone.  
"Is there a reason you're staring at me?" She asked  
Michael grinned. "You have very expressive eyebrows."  
"What?" Amie asked with a laugh. "What does that even mean?"  
"When you think something, your eyebrows tell everything. You must be awful at keeping secrets."  
"I can keep secrets very well, thank you." She retorted before muttering under her breath "Expressive eyebrows? Fucking made that up."  
She continued reading and he continued watching her. Finally, she closed her book and sat it in her lap.  
"Are you going to stare at me all night?"  
"I might." He said as he exhaled his cigarette.  
Looking at him made her heart race. She had never noticed how intense his eyes were. Though the right eye was still bruised, the swelling had gone down. He had never looked at her like that before, or had she just never noticed?  
Eventually the tension in the room was too much for her so she said. "Well, I should be off to bed." He only looked at her, his intense expression never wavering.  
She laid in bed for half an hour wrestling with her thoughts. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and she walked downstairs in her nightdress.  
Michael was still sitting by the fire and he glanced up when he heard a squeaking step. He paused when he looked at her. Most women wore nightdresses that went to their low shins but hers went just below her knee and was a delicate pink.  
"I ,um, my room…. It's a bit cold." She said  
"Did the maid light a fire?" He asked, unable to take his eyes off her.  
"yes, but ,um, there isn't a fire iron to stoke it. And I think it needs more wood."  
"I'll let the maid know."  
"Oh, no. There's no need to wake her. I'll be fine." She turned to go back up the stairs and she inwardly shook her head and said to herself That was a bad idea, Amie.  
Michael sat in his chair for a bit before getting up and grabbing a log beside the downstairs fire and the fire iron. As he walked up the stairs, he thought to himself this is a bad idea. But he continued on and knocked on her door.  
She answered the door and he lifted the log, so she moved to the side and let him enter the room. He stoked the fire and put the log on and as he dusted his hands, he turned to her.  
"Yesterday, I almost thought you were going to kiss me." She said in almost a laugh.  
"I thought about it."  
She looked up at him in mild surprise.  
"Would that have been such a bad thing?" He asked  
"I would be in so much trouble." She said breathlessly as he drew his face inches from hers  
"Me too." He responded before he bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips.  
He drew his face back from hers and they stared at each other. "This is a bad idea." She said quietly.  
"I know." He replied and he kissed her again.  
The second kiss was as gentle as the first. She moved her hands up his chest and onto his cheeks, then she intensified the kiss, allowing her lips to part and lightly brushing her tongue across his bottom lip. That was all Michael needed to show him they wanted the same thing. He pulled her close to him and they walked back against the wall where she began to untuck his shirt. He kept her pinned against the wall until his shirt was untucked and unbuttoned, then he whirled her around and they began a stumbling walk to the bed. She stood beside the bed as he raised her nightdress over her head exposing her naked body. He had never seen anyone so beautiful. He began to lean over her, leading her to lay on the bed as he began to kiss her neck and work his way down her chest and to her stomach. He took his time as he kissed her hips and her thighs, making her wait in anticipation. He could hear her quick heaving breaths as she attempted to wait patiently, occasionally tilting her hips in the hopes that he would give her some satisfaction. Slowly he moved his lips back up her body to her mouth. As he kissed her, he allowed his hand to go up her inner thigh and heard a rewarding gentle moan as it reached its destination. She began to breath heavier as he continued to move his hand between her thighs, when suddenly he stopped. Her eyes shot open and she stared at him for a moment, an angry expression almost claiming her face when she leaned up and kissed him with such a force that he knew, to deny her would be to deny himself. He reached for the button on his trousers and as he freed himself, she laid back and stared at him in anticipation.  
They stared at each other as he slowly slid inside her. When he did so, a crease formed between her eyebrows and she released a small gasp. He closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of being buried inside her. He lowered himself and kissed her once more and she began to kiss the bruises on his face as he moved inside her. They both released moans as he sped up the pace, unable to help himself. He could feel her legs begin to shake and he knew she would reach her release soon. As she drew closer, she got louder.  
"Shhh. You'll wake up the house." He whispered in her ear.  
She tried to stifle her moans but as they turned to whines, she knew she wouldn't be able to.  
"Kiss me." She said and he obliged.  
He continued on, moving faster as his own climax drew closer. Finally, she couldn't hold it anymore and she let herself go, pulsating around him causing him to instantly find his own release.  
They laid there, sweating and breathing heavy.  
"Warm enough now?" He asked  
Amie chuckled, "Mmm. That wasn't anything like it thought it'd be."  
"What wasn't?"  
"Sex." She responded nonchalantly and Michael froze.  
"What?" He asked as he slowly turned his head to face her, his eyes wide.  
She turned her head to meet his gaze, an innocent look on her face. "What?"  
"That was your –"He was so in shock that he couldn't finish his sentence.  
"My first time? Yeah. Why?"  
He stared at her in disbelief, he had just taken Alfie Solomons' beloved nieces' virtue.  
He turned his head to look at the ceiling. "FUCK!"


	8. Chapter 8

“What is the matter with you?” Amie asked  
“You just told me you had never had sex before!” Michael responded incredulously  
“And?”   
“What do you mean and? If your uncle finds out –“  
“Well do you plan on telling him?” Amie asked  
“No, but –“   
“Then you are wigging out over nothing. Because I am taking this to my grave. So unless Tommy Shelby tells him –“  
“Fuck, I didn’t even think about Tommy.” Michael said, the realization of his recklessness setting in.

Amie threw her leg over his body and propped herself up on her wrists. As she looked down at him, she said, “You are worrying yourself for no reason. If I don’t tell anybody and you don’t tell anybody, then no one will know.”

As they stared at each other he took a deep breath. He knew she was right. She leaned down and kissed him, then he wrapped his arms around her and rolled on top of her to start again.

26 hours earlier…

Alfie was the last one in his bakery, which was not uncommon. As he turned to get in a file, he heard a small knock on his open office door. Immediately he pulled his gun and pointed it at the person at the door. The butcher from a few blocks down on Bonny Street was standing there. He threw his hands up and stammered.

“Um, M-Mr. S-solomons s-sir.” He said shaking.

Alfie stared at the portly man for a moment before he grunted.

“S-sir. You said that if I heard anything about some Scottish gents to notify you immediately.” 

Alfie nodded slightly, then lowered his gun. “Sit.” He instructed.  
The baker obeyed, relieved not to have Alfie’s gun pointing at him. The man took out a handkerchief and wiped his sweating brow before he continued. 

“I was working this afternoon when I overheard a conversation. They were two men. They had Scottish accents and I said to myself that I need to tell Mr. Solomons right away when I could get free.” He looked at Alfie expecting some look of approval, but Alfie only stared at him with an unamused look. The butcher sat there awkwardly until Alfie started to lose patience.  
“What did they say?” Alfie barked  
“Oh, uh, uh, well, they, um, they were talking about a friend or someone. Said they haven’t heard from him for over 24 hours and that he had to be dead. Then one of the men said to the other that this was more trouble than it was worth….”  
“And?”  
“And the bigger man, had to be the one in charge, he said if they wanted to get their reward, then they would have to try a different approach.”  
“Reward?” Alfie thought out loud. This was the first he was hearing of a reward. Reward for what? “is that all?”  
“No sir, they said they were going home. And that’s all they said, they noticed me listening I believe sir, so they left.”  
“Did they say where home was?” Alfie urged  
“No sir. But, when they left the shop they took a right toward Manchester Street.”  
“Good lad. You may go.” Alfie said with a dismissing wave of his hand.  
“But, Mr. Solomons. You did say a reward if we came to you with any news.”  
Alfie paused, looked at him, and clenched his jaw. “You’re right I did.” Then he added, “You get to choose your reward.” 

Alfie grabbed a large roll of money and put it on his desk in front of the butcher, whose face lit up when he saw it. Then he grabbed his gun and put it parallel to the money, when the butcher saw the gun his face fell and he looked at Alfie.

“Now, you can choose the money. It will do your family well.” Alfie said nodding. Then he grabbed the gun, pulled the hammer back with his thumb and pointed it at the man’s face. “Or, you can choose your life.” The man’s eyes widened. “So, which will it be?” 

The man stammered a response as Alfie said, “The money then?” and nodded repeatedly.   
“No! No please!” The butcher yelled and he fell back almost breaking his chair.  
“Fuck off.” Alfie ordered, not moving the gun. Then the man scurried away.

Immediately Alfie picked up the phone and called Birmingham to tell Tommy of his lead and that he needed one more day to search.   
Alfie didn’t hesitate, he immediately went to Ishmael’s house and the two of them started down Manchester Street. Eventually they found a small townhouse that the door had been left cracked open. Alfie eased his way in, Ishmael following. It was obvious that whoever had been in the house, was now gone. They had left majority of their belongings, clearly having left in a hurry.   
“Search over there.” Alfie ordered, and Ishmael walked to a desk and began going through papers. They searched the entire house and while they found pamphlets that suggested the past incumbents were Scottish, they found no clue as to where they were going. The men that had been cleared by Alfie were sent to the train station but came back with no news. It seemed, if only for the time being, that the Scots were gone.   
____________________________________________________________________________  
“It makes no fucking sense.” Alfie said to Ishmael in his office as he poured a glass of whiskey.  
“Maybe they changed their minds.” Ishmael offered.  
Alfie looked at him as if he were a fool. “You don’t just walk into Camden Town, threaten me, beat my niece, chase her all the way to fucking Birmingham, and change your mind.” Alfie thought hard, “And the butcher said something about a reward… a reward for what?”   
“The important thing is, that we are going to pick up Miss Solomons and bring her home.”  
“Mmm.” Alfie grunted.   
“Perhaps we should do something nice for her. have a party or something.” Ishmael suggested.  
“No. Too many people. I don’t want to make a big deal out of the fac that I had to send her away.”  
“Then the two of you should come for dinner. Sarah can cook, you can bring Goliath.”  
Alfie eyed Ishmael suspiciously.   
“Sir, she has been through a lot. All the men care about her. She is a part of this bakery as much as you are. It is the least we could do to make up for what she has been through.” Ishmael finally said.

Alfie eventually agreed, then he went home to get ready for a journey to Birmingham the next day.  
____________________________________________________  
The next morning Michael awoke before Amie. He smiled as he looked over at her. She was laying on her stomach and her face was partly concealed by her arm. She had tendrils of hair falling across her long eyelashes. He slowly slipped out of bed, threw on his trousers and walked to his room, watching as he did so for his mother.  
As he walked down for breakfast Polly glanced up at him.   
“Is Amie awake?” She asked  
“How would I know?” Michael responded trying to sound casual  
“Your room is down the hall from hers, did you hear or see her?” Polly asked him in an annoyed tone.  
“No.”

Polly nodded at the maid to wake her and a few moments later the maid came back and said Amie was already awake. 

“Good, I don’t want to be late getting her back to her uncle.”   
“That’s generous of you.” Michael said, looking up skeptically  
“Do I look like a babysitter?” Polly responded 

As Amie walked down for breakfast, she caught a glimpse of Michael and fought a smile. Michael, however, made no attempt at concealing his cocky grin.

“Oh, don’t look so proud of yourself.” Amie whispered as Polly got up from the table. Michaels grin only grew bigger.   
“I fucked Alfie Solomons’ niece. Twice.” He pointed out.  
“Yeah, and then you almost wet the bed out of fear of my uncle.” She teased.  
Michael gave her a side eye as his mother came back. Amie smiled and continued eating her breakfast.   
“I don’t know what you are whispering about, but at least you’re not fighting. It has been a long fucking week with you two. Tommy was right to lock you in a house together.” Polly said as she sat.  
“That’s debatable.” Amie retorted with a pointed look at Michael. If only Tommy Shelby knew what had come of his idea to lock us in a house together. Amie thought.

An hour later they were sitting in the parlor of Tommy’s house, the four of them awaiting the arrival of Alfie. They heard a car coming down the driveway and Amie stood. At the sound of Arthur’s voice her body sagged a bit in disappointment. Arthur and Linda came in the house and sat down. 

“You’re still here?” Arthur asked her  
“yes.” She replied flatly  
“I thought your uncle was picking you up today.”  
“He is, he’s just not –“

Amie stopped as they heard more doors close outside. She sat there awaiting the maid to open the door to reveal who it was. When the maid opened the door, she heard her uncle’s voice and she immediately ran towards the door and down the front steps. As she reached the bottom step she jumped and flung herself at her uncle, wrapping her arms around his neck. Alfie laughed as he caught her.

“Now, let’s have a look at you.” He said as he put her down and she stood holding her arms out slightly. He motioned with his finger for her to turn and she did so. “Well they didn’t starve you, but I don’t know what kind of rags those are that they’ve dressed you in.”  
Amie rolled her eyes, “I picked this dress out.”  
“Oh, yeah? It’s lovely.” He said as he turned towards the door and walked up the steps. Amie shook her head at him with a grin.

As Alfie entered the door frame, he saw the five Shelby family members standing there.   
“Arthur!” He said as he held his arms out. “How are you, it has been so long!” He continued as he walked up to Arthur and grabbed his hand. Arthur clenched his jaw and Amie saw his nostrils flare with anger.

“Not long enough.” Arthur responded with clenched teeth. 

Tommy cleared his throat. “Alfie.” He said in a we-have-business tone. Alfie released Arthur’s hand and nodded. 

“Right, well. First things first.” Alfie turned to Amie. “Amelia. Did they treat you well?”

The room stared at her and she scanned the eyes that were in the room, stopping and resting on Michael’s.

“Yes, they were very hospitable.” She said with a grin as she turned to Alfie. 

Amie grew anxious as he searched her eyes, then looked at Michael. He examined Michael’s face, resting on the bruises, then he nodded.  
“I want every detail.” He said to Amie, though he never took his eyes away from Michael. Amie looked nervously at Michael, who was staring back at Alfie, unblinking. The confidence that Michael had as he looked at Alfie made Amie’s breath catch. Most men that she knew would be too intimidated to look her uncle in the eye.   
Alfie turned and motioned to Tommy to lead the way. 

“Michael.” Tommy said, and Michael knew to follow. 

The four of them went into Tommy’s study and Tommy sat behind the desk as Michael stood, leaning against the windowsill behind him. Alfie and Amie sat in chairs across from Tommy.

“Now. Tell me about that night.” Alfie instructed and they all turned to Amie to start the retelling of events. After her, Michael, and Tommy had told their recollections of the night, Alfie looked at Tommy.

“So. What did the two of you do all day while you were home alone. Together. All day.” He was looking at Tommy but was asking Amie.  
Amie could see he was not pleased. “Well we fought most of the day.”  
“And the rest of the time?” He asked as he turned his head toward her.  
“We avoided each other.” She said earnestly.

He looked at her, his eyes slightly squinting as he slowly nodded.

“Uncle.” She said as she shifted her body to face him. “Other than him risking his life to save me, nothing happened between the two of us that day. I swear on my life. If not for Michael, it would have ended up a lot worse than a ripped skirt and some bruises for me.”

Alfie exhaled a deep breath and turned to Tommy before taking out the largest sum of money that Amie had seen him carry on his person and set it on Tommy’s desk. They all stood; Alfie and Tommy shook hands and they all began to walk toward the exit.   
Amie turned to Tommy before she began her descent down the steps to the car and said with as much sincerity as she had ever thanked anyone, “thank you.” And she reached up and kissed his cheek. Tommy’s eyes were soft as he gave her a small smiled and nodded a ‘you’re welcome’. She wanted to thank Michael but knew to do so would be risky, she wasn’t sure whether her Uncle would be able to read something in either of their eyes, so she looked at him, gave a weak smile and nodded. She could see his jaw clench, but his eyes were soft as he returned her nod.   
Alfie then walked up to Michael and fear began to grow inside her. Oh no. Then he reached his hand out for Michael to shake. This was Alfie’s way of saying “thank you.” and Michael accepted and shook his hand. A twinge of guilt hit Amie. She hadn’t lied when she said nothing had happened between them that night. But she was careful to leave off the fact that she stayed at Polly’s the next night, in fear that her Uncle would disapprove or ask more questions. She could not admit to him that she had broken one of his rules and that she had given herself to a member of the Shelby family. The less he knew the better, and she was determined to keep it that way.


	9. Chapter 9

They got in the car and Alfie looked at her and said, “Tell me everything.” So, Amie began telling him about the week, leaving off details of the last night.   
When she finished, she said, “I was a bitch to them for majority of the week to be honest.” And Alfie laughed.  
“Good.” He said   
“Now it’s your turn! Tell me what you found out. Tommy said you had a lead.”  
“It’s nothing to worry you with.” He said trying to brush off the question.  
“Nothing to worry me with? They attacked me. Twice! And I’m not a child anymore. In fact, I’ve been thinking…”   
She paused to see his expression, he slowly looked over. “Alright?” He said.  
“I think, I should take a bigger responsibility in your business ventures.”  
“Business ventures.” Alfie laughed again. “I leave you with Tommy Shelby for one week and now you want to take over my business.” He shook his head.  
“I don’t want to take it over. I just want to have a purpose in it.” She said in a pleading tone   
He looked at her, a worry line forming at the corners of his eyes. “What makes you think you don’t have a purpose in my work?”  
“I mean, I know I have a theoretical purpose. But I want more than that. I don’t want to just keep house and cook.”  
“It’s a violent business sometimes Amie.” He said, hesitation clear in his voice.   
“I can handle it. I’ve already killed one man. What’s a few hundred more?” She teased, trying to lighten the mood.  
He looked at her, “we got in this mess because someone found out about you. If you take a bigger role, then everyone will know.”  
“I don’t want to be a secret anymore. And you can train me to protect myself.” She urged. “Uncle, I’m not a child. I’m a grown woman. It’s time we all treated me as such.”

Alfie looked at the road ahead in silence and thought about her proposal. He knew if she wanted something, she wouldn’t stop until she got it. He was blind where she was concerned. When he looked at her, he still saw that 5-year-old little girl that made him look under her bed for monsters.  
As they arrived in Camden Town, Amie was glad to be home. She had missed the familiar faces and buildings. As they parked the car, Amie went in and was expecting to see a mess, but the house was put together as if nothing had happened. The only thing that was different, she noticed as she walked into her room, Alfie in her wake, was her window was nailed shut. 

He noticed her looking at it and said, “Can’t take any risks. The windows are all shut, except mine.”  
Amie knew her uncle couldn’t sleep if the window was shut. The war had trained him to need the night air. As he turned to leave, she said, “I don’t want to live in fear…. And I don’t want you to live in fear for me. You trained men when you were in the army. You can train me too. And I will work hard, much harder than Goliath ever has.”  
Alfie took in a deep breath and finally said, “Alright. Tomorrow. Tonight, we are going to Ishmael’s for dinner.” 

Alfie went into his office for a couple of hours in the afternoon and Amie laid on her bed. As she lay there, her mind began to wander to Michael. She replayed their night together in her head. She hoped to see him again but didn’t expect it to happen. The thought of not seeing him again made her sad. In less than a week she had gone from hating him to…. What are my feelings for him now? She asked herself. Most girls fall into some sort of obsessive love with the man they sleep with the first time. She didn’t feel obsessive or love, but what was it?

When Alfie came back, the house was quiet. “Amie?” He said and waited for an answer. When no answer came, he began to go upstairs. 

“Amelia!” he yelled and as he was about to reach for her doorknob, she opened the door. “I called for you twice, what are you doing?” He barked.  
“Just having a kip.” She responded, wiping her tired eyes.  
He exhaled and shook his head. “You’re giving me gray hair.”   
“Because I kip?” she responded, a crease forming between her eyebrows.   
“We are leaving in an hour.” 

They began their journey to Ishmael and Sarah’s house, talking as they went. Amie had convinced him to walk rather than drive because she had missed the London streets. When they arrived, Ishmael opened the door and they walked inside. Alfie followed Ishmael into the sitting room where Ollie and Goliath were, and Amie went into the kitchen to find Sarah.   
She found the light-headed Jewish woman pulling bread out of the oven and when she spotted Amie, she looked down quickly. 

“Do you need any help?” Amie asked, noticing Sarah’s lack of enthusiasm at her arrival.   
“No. You may go into the sitting room with the men. I have it taken care of.”

Amie was taken aback but did as she was asked. She had never been dismissed like that before. Sarah and her had always been close, they would laugh at the men together and occasionally they would go into town for shopping. As Amie walked into the sitting room, Alfie noticed a concerned look on her face.  
“Everything alright?” He asked

Amie looked up and nodded, giving a small smile. She didn’t want to make something out of nothing. A few minutes later, Sarah walked into the doorway and gave Ishmael a nod. 

“Let’s eat.” He said, inviting them all into the dining room.

Ishmael and Sarah had a large round table that the group fit around easily. Alfie sat beside Amie and Goliath, with Sarah sitting between Ishmael and Ollie, leaving Ishmael and Amie sitting beside each other. 

“So, Miss Amie. How was your holiday?” Ishmael asked her.  
“Oh, um, it was fine.” She responded, shocked that he had brought up her trip.   
“Where did you go?” Goliath asked his cousin and Amie looked at Alfie for guidance on how to answer his question. 

Alfie cleared his throat and pointed to the bread which was closest to Sarah. She stood and as she leaned to give Alfie the basket of bread, Amie noticed a large bruise on her upper cheek bone. 

“Oh dear, what happened to your face?” Amie asked concerned.

Sarah immediately sat down and smoothed her hair over the bruise and said nothing. Ishmael clenched his jaw as he looked at her then he looked at Amie with a smile and said, “She fell from a ladder in the kitchen this morning.”  
Amie nodded slightly and looked at her plate, glancing slightly at Alfie. The remainder of the dinner was quiet and awkward. After they had finished eating, they began to walk back into the sitting room, but Amie caught Alfie’s arm.

“Can we go?” She asked.

He looked at her and creased his brow before nodding. 

They said their goodbyes, with the exception of Sarah who simply gave a nod in their direction, and Ollie and Goliath followed the two of them out. As the four of them walked away from the house they heard a glass break and raised voices. Amie looked back toward the house and Alfie paused with her. 

“C’mon. This doesn’t concern us.” He said.   
Amie looked up at him, “But…. Why would he….?”  
Alfie shook his head at her. “It’s not our business. He’s her husband. It’s their business.”  
“Since when has something not been your business?”  
“Amelia.” He said giving her a stern look.

Amie turned and walked away, concern filling her.   
“If my husband ever hits me, I’ll cut his balls off.” She said  
Alfie laughed “That’s my girl.”  
When they caught up with the young men Ollie looked at Amie, “It’s good to have you back.”  
“Uh, yeah. Thank you.”  
“it’s just not the same without you here. You make the whole town light up.”  
Amie didn’t acknowledge his awkward remark, she merely kept walking. 

As she followed her uncle in the house, he turned to her and said, “It might not hurt to give him a chance.”  
She shot him a sour look. “You want me to give Ollie a chance? Ollie?”  
“He’s been in love with you since he met you. That much has been obvious.”  
“But, Ollie though? He’s not exactly manly.”  
“Course he is.” Alfie defended with a doubting look on his face.  
Amie looked at him and blinked in a no-he-isn’t way.  
“If not Ollie, then someone.” He said as he hung his jacket on the coatrack.   
“A week away and now you are so eager to be rid of me?” She questioned.  
“I am eager for you to be happy.”  
“With someone….” She thought out loud, picturing Michael.  
“Yes, any Jewish man you choose.” Alfie responded, and the picture of Michael vanished.   
_____________________________________________________________________________  
Two weeks passed and Alfie had Amie come to the bakery every morning to teach her the books and allowed her to sit in on some business meetings with those that pay for his protection. In doing so, she also spent more time with Ollie. In those two weeks he had volunteered every opportunity he could to walk Amie home after lunch, which is when Alfie did his more dangerous business that he thought ill suited for his young niece to be involved in. 

One afternoon Amie ventured deeper into London to do some shopping with the escort of two of Alfie’s men. When she came out of a shop she looked up and saw a glimpse of a nice-looking young man in a suit. She followed on the opposite side of the street, trying to decipher whether or not it was the man she thought. When he turned around, she saw that it was Michael and her heart stopped.   
He looked up and their eyes met. He started towards her but she gave a quick, small shake of her head. Then she turned and spoke to Alfie’s men, hoping Michael would understand why he couldn’t come up to her. 

“I need to go into the store across the street. But I also need to get these things that are in the shop a block down. I won’t be able to do them all and be back in time to cook dinner. Would you go and get them for me?”  
“Ma’am, we aren’t supposed to leave you.” One of the men replied.  
“I will be two seconds. We will meet here in 20 minutes. I promise.”  
They looked at each other, then at her hesitantly.   
“No one is going to attack me in the middle of the day in the middle of a busy London street.” She insisted sternly.  
Eventually, they nodded and went their way and Amie ran across the street. She walked into a restaurant and began scanning the tables looking for any sight of him. Finally, she spotted him. He was deep conversation with a man, and she was determined not to miss this opportunity. She slowly walked behind the man at a distance, just hoping Michael would spot her. He did, then he interrupted the man and asked to be excused. Amie turned the corner and waited. Michael turned the corner and almost collided with her and she gasped and giggled. He kissed her, hard, as if he had been waiting all this time to do so.   
“What are you doing here?” He asked breathlessly  
“I live in London. What are you doing here?” she smiled  
“Tommy sent me up for business. I’ll be here until tomorrow.”  
He kissed her again, just as passionate as the first time they had kissed.  
“Meet me in an hour at my hotel.” He urged  
“I can’t, I can’t even stay here. I have to meet the men outside.”  
“Then tonight. I’ll come to you.”  
“You realize I live with my uncle, right?”   
He pushed his body against hers and she could feel his erection through his pants against her lower stomach.  
“Tell me how to get in.” He said  
She licked her lips, trying to concentrate. “Uh.. the only way in the house is the door or Alfie’s window.”  
“You’re trying to get me killed.” He laughed  
“I can try to come to you.” She offered  
“I almost died trying to keep you alive, I’m not letting you go across London at night by yourself.”  
“If you can come in the window while we are downstairs, you can find my room and hide until I am in there. We eat dinner late, you can come then.”  
“This is a bad idea.” He said and he kissed her once more and walked away.


	10. Chapter 10

Amie quickly went outside and noticed Alfie’s men standing where they were due to meet. One was looking at his pocket watch, his expression worried. She ran across the street and caught up with them.

“Sorry I’m late!” She said attempting to catch her breath.  
“Where is your stuff?” the second guard asked.  
“Oh,” She paused as she thought. “they didn’t have what I needed after all.”  
They looked at each other and back at her as if they didn’t believe what she was saying.   
“We should get back.” She said as she turned 

When she got to her house, she immediately went upstairs to look at Alfie’s window. It wasn’t nailed like the others, just as he had said. She found a piece of paper and wrote a message then put the paper on the fire escape outside of Alfie’s window, under a rock. Then, she proceeded to her room where she fixed her hair and lit some candles. 

Not long after she had started cooking Alfie came home.   
“I am so sorry. I lost track of time, so dinner is going to be late.” She apologized.  
Alfie grunted and replied, “That’s alright.”

He sat down at the table and put his hands through his hair.

“Long day?” She asked  
“I need a drink.”  
“I bought some wine. It’s very good. Have a glass.” She urged. Neither one of them drank wine often, but in the off chance they did, it always made Alfie sleep like a rock.   
“This is not a wine kind of night.” He replied and poured a glass of whiskey. 

She took her time preparing their meal and by the time they had finished eating, it was late. Alfie stretched and rubbed his shoulder. 

“I’m off to bed.” He said as he grabbed the bottle of whiskey and proceeded up the stairs.   
“Goodnight.” Amie said, as her heart began to race. Once she heard his door close, she turned off the lights and eagerly went to her room.

“Michael?” She whispered as she walked in and shut her door. What if he didn’t come? She thought, panicking.

She took a step toward her bathroom and gasped loudly as a hand went over her mouth and an arm around her waist. The hands released her almost as fast as they had grabbed her and she turned around to see him smiling at her.

“That’s not funny!” She scolded in a whisper.   
“I’m laughing.” He said as he drew closer to her. 

Their noses were almost touching, and Amie thought surely Michael could hear her heart racing. He smiled as he leaned in closer and kissed her. As he pulled away from their kiss he reached under her arm and began undoing the zipper of her dress. He kept eye contact with her the entire time and watched her breathing go from heavy-post-kiss to short, wanting breaths. She lightly licked her bottom lip as she watched his eyes stare at her. He removed the shoulders of her dress and the dress fell to the floor.   
Amie stood there in a cream slip dress, her breasts perky and nipples hard with desire. He kissed her again as they walked to the bed, him undoing his own shirt. As they reached the bed, she began to undo the button on his pants, and she watched them drop to his ankles. He kissed her again and began to climb on the bed, her underneath him.   
“I want to see your body.” He said as he reached for the bottom of her slip and she leaned up, allowing him to take it off. He leaned back and looked at her body, memorizing every curve and freckle. He traced his hand down the outside of her leg and as he looked up at her, his eyes stopped and he smiled at the visible wetness between her legs. He turned his eyes up to her face and watched her heaving chest as he brought her leg up to his mouth and he kissed her ankle. He moved his mouth up her leg and in between her thighs.   
She let out an instant moan as he tasted her and began to use his tongue to please her. She moved her hips, showing him she wanted more and when he leaned back she shot up and grabbed his face. She kissed him, tasting herself in his mouth and as he leaned down over her, she whispered, “Please, I don’t tease me and make me wait.”  
He slipped out of his boxers and rather than entering her slowly, he went in hard and with a purpose. She immediately collapsed around him, releasing a loud moan.   
“Shhh.” He hissed in her hear. Feeling her tighten around him made him stop, knowing if he didn’t gather himself it would be over for the both of them much too soon. After a breath he began to move inside her, helping her to ride her orgasm as long as she could. After she came down It didn’t take long for her to start building up again and as she drew closer the second time, she whispered his name in his ear. Hearing her talk to him made him clench his jaw. The sound of her breathy voice saying his name made him close, but he was not giving in until she did. He grasped the bedsheets under his palms, using all his willpower not to let go inside her yet. As she began to shake beneath him, he leaned down and kissed below her ear and she let go for the second time much to his relief and he released himself inside her.

“Did you have trouble getting in?” She asked after they had caught their breath.  
“No, I almost broke a picture frame though. And you shouldn’t leave directions to your room laying around outside for anyone to find.”  
“You worry too much. How else would you have found my room?”  
“I could have managed. Like I told you, I didn’t almost die so you could do something reckless and get hurt.”  
“Reckless like climbing in Alfie Solomons’ bedroom window and sneaking into his niece’s room for the night?” She retorted.  
“That’s different.”   
“How?”   
“I’m not going to get caught.” He said to her with confidence.  
“Said every man who has ever been caught.”  
“I’m sure your uncle would rather have me climb through his window than have some enemy of his finding a map to your room.”  
“Is that so? Let’s ask him, shall we?” She teased as she raised to get up, but he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.   
“Let’s not.” He said and he kissed her as they both fell asleep exhausted.

They got out of bed the next morning before the sun had risen. 

“So, am I supposed to climb back through his window?” Michael teased.  
“Yeah, let me know how that goes.” She retorted and he chuckled.

They crept out into the hallway, Amie leading the way. She turned and waved him to follow. As they crept down the stairs Amie’s heart was racing. The possibility of getting caught was terrifying and exciting at the same time. As they reached the bottom of the stairs Michael grabbed her and pushed her against the door.  
“What are you doing?” She asked panicking. “He could come down at any time!”  
Michael smiled a devilish smile and responded, “It’s early, you said yourself he went to bed with a bottle of whiskey.”  
“Is that really a risk you want to take?” She shot back  
“I’ve been here all night. I am not going to get caught now as I go out the door.” He said.  
“In order for that to be true, you would actually have to go out the door!”  
He smiled and kissed her a long sweet kiss then she quietly opened the door and he walked out. She stood watching him walk down the street when she heard a noise at the top of the stairs, and she turned to see Alfie staring at her his jaw clenched.


	11. Chapter 11

Amie’s body went cold. “I-I didn’t hear you up.” She stammered nervously.  
“Where are you going?” Alfie asked his face expressionless and his voice flat. If not for his flared nostrils and clenched jaw Amie wouldn’t know he was angry.  
“Nowhere. I was just –“  
“Then where are you coming from?” He asked in the same flat tone.  
“I’m not coming from anywhere. I was –“

Alfie walked down the steps slowly and when he reached the door he stepped around Amie and looked out on the street. Amie waited for him to say something or to start running after Michael, but Alfie moved back and shut the door. 

“I don’t know what you are up to, but either stop sneaking around or get better at it.” He said.  
“I wasn’t sneaking anything. I promise.” 

He looked at her and then proceeded into the kitchen. Amie released a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding and turned to go upstairs to get ready for the day.  
Breakfast that morning was tense. Alfie knew she was up to something but didn’t know what, when he had looked down the street it was empty. Every time Amie looked up at him, he was looking at her with angry eyes, so she kept her head down as she ate.

“Once I finish with the dishes, I’ll come to the bakery.” She said, breaking the silence.  
“Not today.” He said.  
“But…” She started as she turned to face him but seeing his face she stopped.  
“You’re going to take some time off from coming into the office.” He said coldly. “You can come back when you decide to tell me what you’re up to.”

Amie looked at him defiantly and responded just as coldly, “Fine.”

Alfie grabbed his jacket and his cane and left, slamming the door. The two of them rarely disagreed, but when they did all of Camden Town knew it. 

The following week Amie and Alfie barely said two words to each other. They ate in silence, scolding one another and after dinner would sit in silence in the sitting room and read and drink. Alfie was angry because he couldn’t punish her if he didn’t know what she had done, and Amie was angry because he wouldn’t allow her back in the bakery. They were proud and neither one would be the first to apologize.  
After 10 days of silence towards each other Amie was frustrated and angry and needing someone to talk to. Eventually she picked up the telephone in Alfie’s study at home and called Birmingham. 

“Michael Gray.” He answered.  
“The boss lets you answer the telephone now, does he?” She teased  
“I am the boss.” He replied. She could hear the smile in his voice.  
“Well boss, you have caused a lot of trouble for me this past week.”  
“What?”  
“I got caught standing outside the door. He thinks I was sneaking out to go somewhere or sneaking in from being somewhere all night.”  
“What did you tell him?”  
“Oh, I told him I had a gypsy in my bed all night, of course.” She said sarcastically  
“I’m sure he took that well.”  
“Yeah.” She said, a small longing in her voice. “Can I see you again?”  
“I was thinking I’d come to London in the next week.”  
“I need a break from London. I’ll come to Birmingham. I can take the train. I’ll tell him… something, I don’t know.”  
“That’s risky.”  
“It will be fine. I will have my gun, I’ll be safe… Please?” She asked and then added in a breathy, seductive whine “I need you” which made Michael go weak.  
“Come on Monday.”  
“Monday?” She questioned.  
“You can take the train after he leaves for work.”  
“But, Tommy –“  
“He won’t notice if I’m gone one day. We can go back to my mum’s house. She will be going into the office early on Monday.”  
“Alright, Monday. I will take the 8:30 train. Am I meeting you at your office?”  
“No, I will pick you up from the station.”  
“Alright. I-“  
She heard the front door shut.  
“I have to go. I’ll see you soon.” And she hung up.  
_______________________________________________________________________  
Alfie was sitting at his desk in his office at the bakery when Ollie walked in.  
“Is Amie well, sir?” Ollie asked.  
“What?” Alfie barked  
“Well she seemed like she enjoyed coming in and now she isn’t. I was just wondering if –“  
“Is it your job to worry about her?”  
“No, sir.” He responded quickly.  
“Then I suggest you do your fucking job and leave the rest to me.”

Alfie watched Ollie leave his office and begin working on labeling barrels. Alfie leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temple with his fore and middle fingers. This is ridiculous Alfie. You have no proof she was up to something. Just go home and talk it over with her. He got up, put on his jacket and walked home, ready to make peace with his niece.   
As he walked in, he heard her talking from his study in the back of the house. He quietly shut the door and walked towards the study listening to her conversation.

“I got caught standing outside the door. He thinks I was sneaking out to go somewhere or sneaking in from being somewhere all night.”  
There was a pause as she listened on the phone.  
“Oh, I told him I had a gypsy in my bed all night, of course.”  
Alfie immediately stopped.  
“Yeah.” She said a small longing in her voice. “Can I see you again?”  
His anger was back.   
“I need a break from London. I’ll come to Birmingham. I can take the train. I’ll tell him… something, I don’t know.”  
Now she is going to sneak to Birmingham? He thought angrily.  
“It will be fine. I will have my gun, I’ll be safe… Please?”…… “I need you”   
Hearing her say these words in that tone made Alfie sick to his stomach. Who the fuck is she talking to?  
“Monday?”  
It was as if his feet were stuck to the floor, he was so angry.   
“But, Tommy –“  
Alfie’s eyes went wide. Tommy? She’s sneaking around with Tommy Fucking Shelby?  
“Alright, Monday. I will take the 8:30 train. Am I meeting you at your office?”  
Alfie had heard enough. He turned and walked towards the door before opening and slamming it shut. When she came in the entryway, he was hanging up his jacket.   
“You’re home early.” She said in surprise.  
“Mmm.” He grunted. “I wanted to talk to you.” He added attempting to hide his anger.  
“About?”  
“I have meetings the beginning of next week that you can’t be involved in. But after that you can come back to the bakery.”  
“I can… You mean it?” She said excitedly.  
“Mmm.” He nodded.  
To react now wouldn’t do any good, Tommy could always deny his involvement with her. Alfie had a plan. He was going to catch her in her lie, and he was going to end Tommy Shelby in the process.


	12. Chapter 12

The weekend went by and it was as if nothing had happened between them. Amie had gone back to being her cheerful self and Alfie treated her as if he didn’t know she was planning anything. When Monday came, they ate breakfast as usual and by 7:30 Amie was cleaning the kitchen. Alfie sat at the table watching her with a clenched jaw. His anger at her for lying and sneaking around was nothing compared the rage he felt towards Tommy. Alfie had crossed Tommy before but nothing like this. Amie noticed during the weekend that her uncle would look at her as if he was still cross with her, but when he spoke to her it was as if she were imagining things. 

“I’m going in early. Won’t be back till late.” He said as he stood.  
“Oh, okay.” She said attempting to suppress the excitement in her voice.  
“What are your plans today?” He asked  
“Nothing. I think I will just read and maybe catch a kip for majority of the day.” She said passively.  
“Mm.” He grunted. Then he stared at her for a moment and walked out the door.

Amie immediately went upstairs and began getting ready for the day. Before she walked outside, she peeked out the window and adjusted her hat to conceal her face and she started towards the train station. She boarded the train, her heart racing with desire and anticipation of what the day would bring. Amie was so wrapped in her thoughts she didn’t notice the car watching her from the street.   
Alfie sat in his car and watched his niece board the train to Birmingham, as it began to roll down the tracks, he set off alone, on his way to confront Tommy Shelby.  
___________________________________________________________  
Alfie sat in his car outside of Tommy’s office building in Small Heath. As he looked up, he could see Tommy standing in the window with a glass of whiskey and a cigarette in hand. Tommy turned as if talking to someone and the rage Alfie had been suppressing flared inside him. She’s in there. He thought and he got out of his car and walked in the building, his gun in his hand.  
Lizzy had walked out of Tommy’s office and sat down at her desk moments before Alfie walked up. 

“Can I help-“ She started but was cut off when he held up a hand to silence her. 

Alfie didn’t hesitate in his steps, and when he reached Tommy’s office doors, he threw them open with his gun pointed at Tommy’s face.

“You fucking bastard! Where is she?” Alfie barked  
“Who?” Tommy asked looking up from his desk and staring at the barrel of Alfie’s gun.  
“Don’t play games with me, Tommy. I sent her to you for protection! And you, you fucking took advantage of her!” Alfie was yelling now.  
“Alfie,” Tommy started as he held his hands up to try to calm him. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”  
“Don’t fucking lie to me!” Alfie yelled and then he pulled the trigger hitting the glass whiskey decanter, causing it to explode and Tommy to duck.   
“I know you Tommy. Right? Yeah, I know all about how you use women and your fucking cock to get what you want.” Alfie was no longer yelling but he looked at Tommy with mad, hostile eyes. “And you fucking used that on my niece. My 22-year-old niece, Tommy!”  
“I’ve not touched your niece.” Tommy said, still remaining calm and maintaining eye contact with Alfie.  
“I heard you on the telephone with her.” Alfie retorted through gritting teeth. “She said your fucking name!”  
“I don’t know who she was on the phone with, but it wasn’t me.” Tommy said as he walked slowly around his desk, careful not to make any sudden movements. 

As soon as Tommy got around his desk Alfie lunged at him and wrapped his hand around his throat and shoved him against the wall. 

“Then why was she talking about fucking a gypsy and coming to Birmingham? Hmm?” 

Alfie was seeing red. Nothing Tommy could say would make Alfie believe him.   
Tommy swung at him, hitting Alfie on the eye and causing Alfie to drop his gun. Alfie swung back, busting Tommy’s lip. They wrestled each other, knocking over chairs and a small table before men from the factory came in to help break it up. It took three men to pull Alfie off Tommy and as they held him back Tommy staggered up, wiping blood from his mouth.

“Look around Alfie. She’s not here.” He said loudly  
“Then where is she? I watched her board the train to Birmingham.” Alfie spat.  
“I don’t know. I will help you find her if you fucking calm down, eh?” Tommy said as Alfie struggled to get free from the men. 

Once Alfie was released by the men, Lizzy spoke up from the entry way.  
“Do I need to call your brothers, Tommy?” She asked, eyeing Alfie.  
“No. No, we’re fine. Go on Lizzy.” He said, still looking at Alfie and she exited the room.   
“She said she was coming to Birmingham?” Tommy asked  
“Mm. And that she had snuck a gypsy into my fucking house.” He said as he clenched his fist.  
“When?”   
“When what?” He asked  
“When did she say she snuck him in?”  
“Well I don’t fucking know do I? She didn’t tell me, she told the person on the other end of the telephone and –“ Alfie stopped. He knew exactly when he had been in her house. He looked at Tommy. “Two Tuesdays ago.”

Tommy thought back. “Fuck.” He said under his breath and rubbed his brow. Alfie stared at him waiting for an explanation and Tommy finally said, “I sent Michael to do business in London that week.” He closed his eyes and shook his head at his own cousin’s recklessness.  
_____________________________________________________  
Amie got off the train in Birmingham and immediately spotted Michael. They met eyes and Michael turned around the corner, Amie following at a distance. Finally, as she turned down an alley, he grabbed her and kissed her. 

“Took you long enough.” He said with a smile.  
“Take me somewhere.” She said breathlessly.  
He opened the driver’s side door of his car that was parked in the alley and she got in and scooted to the passenger side. He shut the door and gave her a seductive smile.  
“What?” Amie asked.  
“Come here.” He said and she could tell what he wanted by the look in his eyes.  
“Here?” She asked glancing out from the front and back of the car then looked at him with wide eyes.  
“Yeah, here.” He said as he leaned and grabbed her hand and she smiled as she slowly made her way to meet him in the middle.

Her heartbeat quickened as she slowly put her leg over him. He ran his hand up the side of her thigh to her hip.

“Do you ever wear knickers?” he asked with a smile on his face.   
“Not when I won’t be wearing them for long.” She replied as he then unbuttoned his trousers and freed himself.   
Slowly, she lowered herself onto him and began to move. The excitement from being in an area where they could get caught made her move faster. She leaned back and the horn went off. She yelped and immediately started to giggle, covering her mouth as she laughed. Michael looked at her with an adoring smile as he chuckled, then he kissed her neck and her laughing stopped. She started to move once more up and down, her pace getting faster as she could feel the build up inside her.   
As she drew closer, she began to slow, “Keep going, Amie.” He muttered in her ear as he put his hands on her hips to help her. Inspired by his desire for her she moved quickly until she burst around him, and him inside her. She stayed on him catching her breath and began to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” He asked  
“I ran away from London to come have sex in a parked car in an alley way.” She said continuing to laugh.  
Michael chuckled, “What would Alfie say?”   
“Let’s never find out.” She said giving him a stern look and he smiled at her.

Amie remained sitting in the middle on their drive to Polly’s house and they talked about the goings on in the town since she had last been there.   
When he parked the car, he looked at her, “You said you needed a break from London, so what do you want to do today?”

“You.” She said with a grin as she put her hand high on his thigh.

They kissed the entire walk to the entry way and by the time they entered the house, his tie was undone and she had almost successfully unbuttoned his shirt. They staggered to and up the stairs, throwing articles of clothing down as they went. They paused as they reached the top of the stairs, and he pinned her against the wall, kissing her neck. Then he reached down and picked her up by her thighs and she wrapped her legs around him, his boxers falling to his ankles. He slipped into her and she moaned as he thrust inside her, holding her against the wall. He paused as he carried her curvy petite body down the hall and threw open the door, kicking it closed behind him and he fell on top of her on the bed. He pushed inside her until she used her foot to gain momentum and she turned them over, climbing on top of him. She bounced on top of him moaning loudly as he went deeper inside her. He leaned up and wrapped his arms around her waist as she moved, and he licked and kissed her chest. As she started to whine and flipped her over, eager to watch her face when she let go. Her back began to arch as her legs started to shake and she moaned loudly with pleasure. When she was on the edge he thrust hard inside her, moving his hips when he was deep and she yelled out his name followed by a loud moan and he released himself inside her.   
The moment they reached the peak of their climax the bedroom door burst open.  
_____________________________________________________  
Tommy walked out of his office, Alfie in his wake and looked at Lizzy, “Where’s Michael?”   
“I don’t know, he said he was stepping out. Wouldn’t be back in today.” She asked with a confused look on her face.

Tommy looked back at Alfie who looked at him, rage still evident on his face. 

“Call Polly’s house.” Tommy demanded and Lizzy immediately picked up the telephone and rang Polly’s address. She waited, both men staring at her in anxious anticipation, then she hung up.   
“No answer.”   
“Fuck.” Tommy said releasing a breath and Alfie stepped closer.   
“Take me there.” Alfie demanded in a hushed voice and Tommy clenched his jaw. There was no way around it and he knew it, so Tommy went into his office and put on his jacket and began toward the stairs. 

Alfie followed in his car to Polly’s house and as they pulled up and parked, Polly also drove to the curb. 

“Lizzy called. What’s going on? Why are you looking for Michael?” She demanded frantically as she looked at Alfie and the angry state he was in.   
“Polly, stay out here.” Tommy demanded  
She ran forward as Alfie began towards the door and threw her arms out as if shielding the entry way. “No, you are going to tell me what you want with my son!”

Alfie grabbed her face with his hand and squeezed her jaw. He drew his face so close to hers their noses were almost touching. “Don’t get in my way, woman.” He said, his eyes so dark with fury that Polly’s eyes widened. Then he pushed her face to the side as he released her and she grabbed her jaw, looking at Tommy for answers. Tommy only shook his head at her.   
Alfie opened the door and immediately saw Michael’s tie and shirt, then he followed the trail of clothes with his eyes as he stepped in the doorway. 

“Where are John and Arthur?” Tommy asked Polly quietly.  
“Lizzy was calling them; I don’t know if she got through.” Polly said desperately. “Now tell me, what is going –“ she stopped her question as they looked in the door and spotted the clothes.

Alfie was scanning the room but continued walking, following the clothes. As they all reached the top of the stairs, they could hear the moans coming from the bedroom and Alfie stopped. Alfie closed his eyes and bowed his head, rubbing his forehead and Tommy could see the sickening feeling Alfie was experiencing on his face. Alfie ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. Then Amie yelled out Michael’s name and all reason and feeling left Alfie and he kicked the door open.


	13. Chapter 13

Amie screamed as the crash echoed from the door and she reached for a sheet to cover herself. Michael barely had time to look towards the door when Alfie swung his cane and it hit him in the jaw, knocking him off of Amie and onto the foot of the bed.  
Polly began to run to Michael’s aid when Tommy grabbed her by the wrist and told her to wait in the hall.

“I am not going to wait in the hall while he kills my son!” Polly yelled at Tommy.  
“Do you think if you get in his way he will hesitate before he does the same thing to you? You’d only be in the way!” Tommy said through clenched teeth  
“Protect my son!” She blurted in Tommy’s face before she did as she was told. Alfie didn’t hesitate he grabbed Michael by the throat and threw him, naked, against the wall. 

“STOP!” Amie yelled as she struggled to get out of the bed and wrap the sheets around her. 

Alfie hit Michael as hard as he could, and Michael could feel every ring Alfie was wearing. Amie ran and grabbed her uncle’s arm as he reared back to hit Michael again. Alfie threw his elbow back hitting Amie under the eye and knocking her to the ground.   
Seeing what had just happened Michael swung at Alfie, but Alfie grabbed Michael’s arm and twisted it down, causing it to pop and Michael yelled out in pain.   
Tommy ran up and attempted to separate Alfie and Michael. Alfie grabbed Tommy’s head and pushed it against the wall, pushing with all of his might. 

“Stay out of this Tommy.” He snarled and then he pushed Tommy’s head down and kneed it as hard as he could. Tommy fell back, everything a blur.  
By the time Tommy could see and process what was happening, Alfie was on top of Michael punching him repeatedly. Tommy ran and tackled Alfie. They began to hit at each other and only stopped when they heard a gunshot. They both covered their heads in reflex and looked up. Amie had grabbed the gun out of Michael’s bedside table and shot the ceiling.   
“Stop it!” She said and Alfie growled as he got up and advanced on her. Fear swept through her as she wondered what he was going to do. He grabbed the gun out of her hand and threw it to the side, at the same time he grabbed a handful of her hair and began to walk, pulling her along with him. 

“Ouch, stop! Uncle!” She yelled as he led her down the stairs by her hair. 

He began toward the door and she said, “My dress, I’m not dressed!”  
As they went towards the car, Amie began to push at Alfie’s side, “Let me go!”

He shoved her against the back-passenger side of the car and grabbed her arms under her shoulders tightly. 

“Ah, you’re hurting me!” She cried out.

Alfie drew his face close to her and growled, “You. Hurt. Me.” Then he let her go, pushing her against the car.   
He turned toward the house and Amie thought he was going to go back after Michael, but he turned back around and blurted at her, “WHAT WERE YOU FUCKING THINKING?”   
Amie shook her head profusely. 

“Were you even thinking at all? He’s a fucking Gypsy! And a fucking Shelby! You-“  
“I LOVE HIM!” She cut him off and he stopped and looked at her with shock. 

He blinked. Amie didn’t think about the words before she said them, they just came out. He said nothing, he simply at her and as he did, she searched his eyes. Anger had left him the moment the words came out of her mouth and now all she could see was hurt. 

After a moment he said, “You love the gypsy kid.” It wasn’t a question; it was as if it was setting in and he nodded.   
“Uncle, I-“   
But he interrupted her and said, “You are not my niece.”  
She stopped. “I’m… What?” Her heart began to race. “What are you talking about? Of course I am your-“

He shook his head. 

“Y-you don’t mean that.” She said as tears began to form in her eyes.

Alfie began to walk around the car to the driver’s seat and Amie followed, grabbing at his sleeve but he shook her off.

“No. Nonononono.” She repeated as the realization of his words flooded her. “Please! I-I’m sorry! I-“ Her words cut off as she began to cry. But Alfie didn’t console her, he proceeded to his destination.  
As he reached the driver’s door, he opened it and got in, but she got in the way of him closing the door.  
“Please! Just let me get in, we can talk about it on our way home!” She cried  
“Camden Town is no longer your home. You will not set foot on my streets, or I will have you thrown out of London.” He said calmly, not looking at her.  
“NO. Nonono please. I’m your niece, you can’t do this!”  
“I have no niece.” He said as he turned to look at her in the eyes, a finality to his voice. Amie cried out and began to weep as Alfie pushed her away and shut the door.  
“Don’t leave me uncle, please!” She sobbed putting her palm on the window. “Please, I’m sorry! Don’t leave me!”

Alfie reached for the gear shift as she said. “You’re all I have! You’re my Dad, don’t leave me…. You’re my dad.” She pleaded as she wept and began to slide down the door of the car to her knees. Alfie shifted the car and began to drive away, leaving his once beloved niece to grow smaller in the mirror one last time.

Amie cried out in anguish as her uncle left her in the street. Still wearing nothing but a bedsheet she doubled over onto her face and sobbed on the pavement. Not long after, Arthur and John drove up and screeched to a halt. They jumped out of the car and started towards her when Tommy ran outside.

“John, start the car! We have to get Michael to the hospital.” Tommy said urgently.  
“What’s happened?” John asked as he ran back to the car.

Moments later Arthur and Tommy came out carrying an unconscious, bloody Michael, a quilt wrapped around his waist. Amie stood and rushed over.

“Is he-?” She choked out as she reached for his hand  
“Get away from him, you stupid girl!” Polly yelled as she hit her hand away.

Amie put the palms of her hands on the sides of her head. “I didn’t mean for this to happen!” She cried out.   
The family put Michael in the car and left, Polly and Tommy in the car that followed, and Amie sat on the front step of the house, tears flooding down her face. 

Hours went by and the sun had gone down. Amie never moved. The tears had stopped only because she didn’t think she had any left in her, when a car pulled up in front of Polly’s house. 

“Amie?” Ada said in concern. “What are you doing out here? And… undressed?”  
“I messed up.” Amie whimpered.  
“Well….. it will be alright.” Ada said as she lowered herself to sit by Amie.  
Amie shook her head. “You don’t know what I’ve done.”  
“Hey, now. Michael is going to be alright.” She said gently as she put an arm around the young woman and Amie leaned in and cried once more on Ada’s shoulder.  
Ada petted Amie’s hair and after a while said softly, “Let’s get you inside, yeah? It’s not safe for a young pretty girl to be outside at night in only a bedsheet.”

They got up and Ada helped Amie into the house. Ada found Amie’s dress at the bottom of the stairs and she helped Amie into it.   
“I had to come get a few things for Polly. Why don’t you come with me?” She asked and Amie did.   
In the car Amie finally spoke up again, “Do you know what happened?”  
“Oh, yes. I’m afraid our whole family knows about the scandal.”  
“They hate me.”  
“It was reckless, what the two of you did. But I can’t say I haven’t been there. We’ve all been there at some point or another, sleeping with people we shouldn’t.” Ada said as she looked out the window. 

Amie went to put a piece of hair behind her ear when she touched her cheek bone and winced. 

“What happened to your face?” Ada asked  
“I…. got in the way….” The pain from her face was nothing compared to the pain she felt when she thought about her uncle.

When they entered the hospital, Amie saw the entire Shelby family waiting. Seeing her, Polly walked to her and slapped her across the face. Amie threw her hand over her mouth in shock and looked up. 

“Polly.” Tommy said to stop her.  
“This is her fault!” Polly defended.  
“Yes. It is. Hers and Michael’s. He knew what he was doing Pol, just as much as she did.”  
“I’m sorry.” Amie muttered to Tommy.  
Tommy took a deep breath and shook his head. “What were you thinking?”  
“I don’t know. It was a bad idea, I know but..” Amie shrugged and shook her head at herself.  
“No. No this wasn’t a bad idea. This was reckless. What did you think was going to happen when your uncle found out?” He said as he turned to her.  
“We didn’t think he would, we-“  
“That’s exactly right. You didn’t think.” He said as he scolded her. “You need to leave. Go home.”  
“I can’t.” She said as she looked at him with red puffy eyes. “I don’t have a home anymore. He’s …. He’s disowned me.”  
_________________________________________________  
Alfie drove back to Camden Town, clenching his jaw the entire drive. When he walked into his house, he had a headache and went into the kitchen to pour a drink. He looked at the bottles of rum and whiskey and then he spotted the wine Amie had offered him. He reached for it and poured himself a glass. He raised it to his mouth but before he took a drink, he threw it at the sink. Wine and glass flew everywhere as it shattered. Alfie grabbed ahold of the sink so tight his knuckles were white and for the first time in his adult life that he could remember, Alfie wept.


	14. Chapter 14

After overhearing the conversation between Amie and Tommy, Ada offered to let Amie stay with her. Amie had tried to see Michael in the hospital, but Polly had taken every step to prevent it happening, so she laid in bed for three days. On the morning of the fourth day Amie got up and stretched. Her body was sore and stiff from lack of use. When she walked out of the room Ada was sitting at the kitchen table.

“You’re up!” Ada said in surprise, “How are you feeling?”  
“Why are you being nice to me?” Amie asked and shook her head  
“I know what it’s like to love someone that your family doesn’t approve of.”  
Amie looked at her, her face expressionless. “Did your family walk in on you mid-orgasm and beat him nearly to death?”   
“Well, no…”   
“then I win.” Amie said flatly as she looked down.

Amie ate a piece of toast for breakfast, which was more than she had eaten since Alfie had left her crying in the street. Ada had told her that she was to go into town with her and when Amie declined, Ada let her know she wasn’t asking. So, Amie went with her and much to her dislike, they arrived at Tommy’s office.   
As they looked at the building Amie turned to Ada and said, “I’m not going in.”  
“So, what? You’re going stay in the bed of my guestroom for the rest of your life? Doing nothing, just laying there?” Ada asked her.  
Amie sighed and they walked in.

They entered Tommy’s office and Ada left the room before Amie could stop her, leaving her alone with Tommy. He looked up at her.

“So, you finally decided to get out of bed, eh?”  
“Haven’t had much of a reason to get out.” She responded.  
Tommy nodded and sighed, then he looked at her.  
Tears began to form in her eyes, and she shook her head. “I don’t know how things got so messed up.” She said as she held her arms out in confusion.   
“How did you think it was going to end? That you and Michael would run into the sunset, holding hands while me and Alfie drank to the two of you?”  
Amie looked down.   
“Look, you can’t go back. You can’t change what’s been done. But you can decide where you go from here. I know a family in Bath who’s looking for a maid.”   
She looked up at him. “You’re sending me away too?”  
“You can’t stay here, Amie. After all that that’s happened-“  
“Isn’t that exactly why I should stay? So that it’s not all for nothing?”  
“What you and Michael had is over.”  
“Why? Because you say so? You are just like my….. Just like Alfie. You think just because you say it, then it should happen. What gives you the right to decide someone else’s life and future? Why do you get to choose whose love is right and whose is wrong?”  
“Love? Is that what it is between you?”  
Amie stared at him.  
“Does Michael feel the same way?”  
She didn’t answer.   
“Your uncle will eventually calm down and when he does, I will give him the address to the house in Bath.” Tommy offered.  
“I’m not leaving unless Michael tells me himself that he wants me to leave.”  
Tommy blinked at her and she could see the irritation in his eyes. “Fine.” 

Tommy grabbed his jacket and they proceeded to his car and on to the hospital. As they walked in, Michael was getting discharged. Tommy walked into the room and forced everyone out except Michael and Polly.  
Amie watched as Tommy talked to Michael. She watched as Michael looked at her through the door window and she knew Tommy was telling him he had to make her leave. Michael said something to Tommy and both he and Polly took turns talking to Michael. She couldn’t hear what they were saying but she could tell by the body language that it wasn’t going in her favor. Finally, Tommy opened the door and he and Polly left the room.   
The door remained open and Michael looked at her. Knowing what was coming, she walked in and shut the door.  
They stared at each other for a moment, his eyes sad and hers filled with dread at the words that would come out of his mouth.

“Are you alright?” He asked   
She chuckled nervously, “I should be the one asking you that.”  
They both looked down.   
“I’m sorry…. For what he did to you…. I never meant….” She stopped, losing her words.  
“I know. But, Tommy’s right. We were reckless. Alfie would have found out eventually.” He shook his head, “Which is why you need to go to Bath.”  
She looked at him and searched his eyes. “I don’t want to go to Bath.”  
“If you stay here, he will never let you go back. But, if you go to Bath, Tommy can talk to him and-“  
“What do you want?” She cut him off.  
“What?”  
“What do you want? Do you want me to leave?”  
He paused and looked at her, then he lifted her face to his and kissed her gently. “It’s for the best.”  
“Says who? Tommy?”  
“Nothing good can come of this. That’s clear. I’ve been in the hospital for three days and you have been disowned, if that isn’t proof that we shouldn’t be together then I don’t know what will be.”  
“I love you Michael.” She said looking into his eyes.  
He exhaled a heavy breath and looked at her. “Love doesn’t matter right now.”  
“But you do love me?”  
He didn’t answer.  
“Michael forget what Tommy wants, or what your mum wants, or what Alfie wants. What do you want?”

What he wanted was for her to be happy, and she would never be happy if her Uncle never spoke to her again. Michael knew that the only way Alfie would get over what had happened, would be for her to leave Birmingham. 

Swallowing the lump that had risen in his throat, he looked at her and said, “I don’t want you.” And he watched her heart break for the second time that week.  
________________________________________________  
Alfie spent the three days after disowning his niece in a drunken stupor. He stumbled around his house, emptying every liquor bottle he could get his hands on. When he ran out, he stumbled his way to his bakery. All of the men had left for the day, so he picked up a small crate of rum and walked back home, swaying and walking sideways into obstacles as he did so.   
By three o’clock on the fourth day Alfie was completely legless when there was a knock at the door.  
“What? Who is it?” He barked as he staggered to the door. “Oh, ‘s you.” He slurred as he looked at Ishmael and Goliath. “Go away.” He said and he pushed the door, but Ishmael stopped it with his hand.

Alfie looked at Ishmael’s hand on the door and then at Ishmael’s face and back again. “Who do you fink you are?” He slurred as he swayed and gave Ishmael a threatening look.  
“We’re coming in.” Ishmael said as he pushed passed Alfie, Goliath in his wake.  
“YOU” Alfie started as he turned and pointed in Ishmael’s face. “You don’t make the fucking rules. I make the fucking rules.”  
“Alfie, where is Amie?” Goliath asked.  
“Don’t say that name in this fucking house.” Alfie spat at him and Goliath looked at Alfie in shock at what he had just said.  
“She,” Alfie continued drunkenly. “Is fucking a gypsy. Mmm. I seen it wif my own eyes.” He said with a look of disgust.   
Goliath and Ishmael exchanged looks.  
“Boss. Maybe you should sit down.” Ishmael attempted.  
“I don’t want to sit down. You know what I want? I want to find out who offered a reward to the fucking Scots.” Alfie swallowed, “If they had never showed up, she never would have met the gypsy boy.” He looked towards the other two men and blinked repeatedly, attempting to stop seeing double. “Go kill ‘em”   
“Who?”   
“All offfem.” He slurred as he grabbed the almost empty bottle and began to walk up the stairs. 

The two men exchanged looks and Ishmael shrugged, then they walked out of the front door as Alfie topped the stairs.   
Instead of going into his room, Alfie walked down the hall and to Amie’s room. He stumbled as he opened the door and ran into the chest of drawers, knocking a picture frame onto the floor. He bent down to pick it up and fell.   
“FFFucking hell.” He said as he clumsily got off the floor, picture frame and bottle in hand.   
He tipped his bottle up and drank the last of the remnants and he looked at the picture. A young man and a little seven-year-old girl with sweet amber eyes.   
“ ‘sall the Scots fault…...” He said as he walked to her bed. He turned and fell on his back on the foot of her bed.   
He put the picture of the two of them on his chest and mumbled, “ ‘sall my fault.” As he dropped the bottle and fell asleep.

The next day Alfie awoke with a headache. As he leaned up, he felt sick and vomited over the side of the bed. 

“Oh, Alfie. You are too old to drink that much.” He said to himself.  
He looked at the picture that had been on his chest when he woke and sighed. Then he got up, put the picture back in its original place and walked to his room.

He had washed and dressed and proceeded to his bakery. He knew if he were to stay at home that he would drink more, and he wasn’t sure his body could take it. When he walked in, he noticed the men were getting ready to leave. He looked at his pocket watch, 5 o’clock. Fuck. He said to himself.

“Sir, uh, do you need us to stay?” One of them asked, afraid he would say ‘yes’.  
“Mm? No. Go home.” Alfie grunted; he didn’t want the noise.

The men left and Alfie proceeded to his desk and sat down. Not long after he got there the phone rang.   
Alfie grunted an answer as he picked it up but was cut off by a violent, high-pitched scream on the other end.  
_________________________________________________________  
After speaking with Michael, Amie left the hospital in tears once more.   
“I’ll go to Bath.” She said quietly to Tommy as she sat in the car.   
“I’ll make the call. Get you on a train tomorrow morning.” 

The next morning Amie sat on the sofa at Ada’s and awaited her ride. Once in the car with Tommy they drove in silence to the train station. Amie exited the car and stood motionless. She looked over as she saw someone approach her and it was Michael. Her breath caught. Is he here to ask me to stay? she wondered.

“Here. Some money, to get you by.” He said offering her some money.  
Amie scoffed. “I don’t want your money.” She responded hatefully.  
“Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”   
She rolled her eyes and looked away from him.   
“Train leaves in five minutes, better get a move on.” Tommy said as he approached her, ticket in hand.  
She took it from him and began walking to the station. Tommy looked at Michael as they watched her leave and said, “You did the right thing. This was what was best-”  
“For the company.” Michael completed for him and turned around to walk to his car. 

Amie stopped and turned to look at the two men and watched them walk to their cars. As she watched them, two pairs of hands grabbed her and her belongings and carried her away, covering her mouth so she was unable to scream.


	15. Chapter 15

“Hello Alfie.” A Scottish voice said on the other end of the telephone as another scream rang through the line. This time the scream sounded familiar and he paused.  
“I have something that used to belong to you.” He said. Then the man said away from the phone, “Say ‘hi’.” Followed by a female voice yelling a strangled “HELP!”.  
Alfie’s heart stopped and his body went cold as he heard his niece’s voice.   
“Let her go!” Alfie yelled into the phone.  
“Now, now.” The man coaxed. “I am doing you a favor. I was informed that this sweet, supple thing misbehaved and now she no longer is a part of your family. So, we decided to take care of her for you.”  
He heard Amie yell in the background.  
“DON’T YOU FUCKING TOUCH HER!” Alfie yelled, standing up.   
“You have six hours to sign papers releasing your name from the business AND we are also adding the Birmingham business to our arrangement or we kill her. Until then….” He paused “we will find ways to….entertain ourselves.”   
“I can’t give you the Birmingham business. Just take mine and let her go.”  
“See, they killed our man. So, to make up for losing our friend, we want them both.”  
Alfie thought quickly, “Who do we make the papers to?”  
“Oh, no no no Mr. Solomons. You just relinquish your claim, we will take care of the rest.”  
Fuck he thought. “Where do I take the papers?”  
“We’ll know when you have them and when the Birmingham business is arranged. Then we will come to you. Six. Hours.” Then the man hung up.   
Alfie hung up, then picked the telephone back up and attempted to find out where the call was coming from, but the switchboard operator was no help. Then he called Birmingham.

“Tom-“  
“What the fuck happened Tommy?”  
“Alfie?”  
“When was the last time you saw her?” Alfie asked, getting impatient  
“Amie? This morning, I put her on the train to Bath.”  
“What the fuck was she going to Bath for? Dammit, Tommy!”  
“Did you think we would let her stay here after what had happened? You nearly killed my cousin-“  
“I know what I did Tommy. Fuck!.. They have her…”  
Tommy paused, instantly knowing who Alfie was referring to.   
“Where?”   
“I don’t fucking know, do I?. But you put her on the train?”  
Tommy paused again. “I bought her the ticket, I put it in her hand, and she walked towards the train.”  
“But you didn’t watch her get on the train?”  
“No. I didn’t watch her get on the train. What do they want in return?”  
“My business and yours.”  
“Ours-“  
“Their man died there. They want yours as payment for their loss.”  
Tommy exhaled.  
“They’re going to kill her Tommy. If they don’t get what they want in six hours they are going to kill her.”  
“We will start asking questions. Find out if she got on the train. If she was taken in Birmingham-“  
“I don’t have time for that Dammit! She’s alone with these sick fucks.”  
“Stay by a phone. I will call you when I know something.” Tommy hung up.

Alfie slammed the phone down and then ran his hands through his hair. “FFUUCKK!” he yelled and then he pushed everything off his desk and kicked his hair back, breaking it. He couldn’t sit there and wait for Tommy to call him back, so he grabbed his coat and ran out the door.  
He arrived at Ishmael’s house and walked in, not bothering to knock. 

“And where have you fucking been?” Ishmael asked before turning around and seeing Alfie. Once he noticed who was standing there, he stood up, shocked. “Sir?”  
“Gather some men. Some fucking trustworthy men. We are going to Birmingham.” Then he turned and walked out of the house.

Alfie went to his house to get ready, while there he stopped in Amie’s room and took another look at the picture on her chest of drawers.   
“Alfie you fool.” He said to himself out loud. “She could have been here, at home. Not on her way to fucking Bath.”   
As he went towards the door, he heard the phone in his study ring. He rushed and answered.  
“She never got on the train to Bath.” Tommy said. “I can send men to London to-“  
“No. She is there, she’s in Birmingham. They wouldn’t risk bringing her all the way down here. They’ll think I can’t find her there. I’m on my way.” Then Alfie hung up and left his house.

Alfie and his men arrived in record time at Tommy Shelby’s house. Tommy, his brothers, Michael, and a few other Peaky men were waiting in the driveway. Alfie didn’t wait for the car to come to a complete stop before he threw the door open and jumped out.

“What do you know?” Alfie asked  
“A janitor saw two men put a young woman in a car and drive off. There was another woman, pushing her baby who saw a car drive toward the outskirts on the west of town and from what she could tell there was a hooded person in the backseat putting up a fight. We aren’t sure if it’s her, but it’s a start.”  
“What time did you take her to the station?”  
“8 o’clock”  
“fuck.” Alfie whispered under her breath as he rubbed his mustache. “She’s been with them all fucking day.”   
“We’ll find her Alfie.”  
“Yeah, we better. Because if anything happens to her, I will burn your entire world to the fucking ground.” Alfie responded as he shot a nasty look at Michael.  
__________________________________________________  
Amie was dragged into a room and tied by her hands and feet to a wooden chair. They had placed a burlap bag over her head in the car, preventing her from seeing anything. She had attempted to free herself from the chair with no luck, the only thing that came of it were raw, bleeding wrists and ankles. She didn’t know where she was, only that they had drove approximately half an hour down what sounded like a dirt road. Once the men had tied her to the chair, they left for hours. The building they were in was drafty and cold as the winter front had begun to breeze through the land and the smell of snow was in the air. When they entered the room again, they pulled her chair to another room, down a hall, where a fire was lit. She was relieved in the warmth for a moment then heard one of the men calling Alfie’s bakery.  
The other man ran his hand up her arm and across her collar bones, sending chills down her spine and she yelled as Alfie answered. She listened to the phone conversation as best she could but was distracted by the man that kept teasing to violate her. She was bound and scared. All she could do was yell. As they got off the phone a blow hit her on the side of her head causing her ear to ring.   
“Be fucking quiet when I’m on the phone.” The man said.   
“Let me go, please!” She begged in a strangled plea.  
“We’re paid to keep you here nice and safe with us.” He goaded; his face closer to hers by the sound of his voice.   
“By who?” She insisted  
“Take her back.” The man said to the second and her chair tilted and got drug back into the cold drafty room.   
______________________________________________  
Amie sat in her chair well after the sun had gone down. As she sat there, shaking from the cold, she heard distant voices. She strained her ears to hear the conversation and who was talking, she could hear a male voice and a female voice. Did they kidnap someone else? She thought, but as the voices got closer, she noticed there was no screaming.

“She’s in here.” One of the Scottish men said in a muffled voice.  
“Well open it.” Said the muffled female voice. 

The door opened and she heard footsteps, Amie’s heart quickened.

“Now, you have the girl. Where is our money?” The man asked forcefully.  
“You’ll get your fucking money, Ewan!” The female voice spat “When my husband has the papers.”  
Amie knew that voice. “Sarah?”  
There was a pause, then the sound of heeled shoes getting closer. Suddenly the bag was ripped off her head and Amie could see the face of a woman she once looked up to.


	16. Chapter 16

“W-What are you doing here?” Amie stammered in shock.  
“I’m here to steal your uncle’s business.” Sarah said as she looked at Amie with disgust.  
“Why? You were like family to us! Ishmael is his right-hand man!”  
“It’s time someone else made the decisions in Camden Town. My husband busts his ass for Alfie, he gets beat up, put in the hospital or thrown in jail, and for what? Hmm? Just to do it all over again.”  
“He is Alfie’s favorite! He gets things the other men don’t! How can you say he gets nothing for the things he does?”  
“Look you spoiled little bitch!” Sarah hissed as she lowered herself to look Amie in the eyes, “There are things about this world that you’re sheltered little ass doesn’t understand. The fact is, the Solomons’ reign is up. I am going to be the queen of Camden.” She said with a cocky smile.  
“The only thing you’ll be queen of is the asylum, you mad bitch!” Amie said and then she spat in Sarah’s face.  
Sarah screamed in anger and slapped Amie as she wiped the saliva off her face, then she grabbed the bottom of the seat of her chair and flipped her chair. Amie landed with a thud on her back.   
Sarah grabbed a rock that had fallen out of the fireplace and broke the only window into the room and Amie could see the snow starting to fall outside.  
“Now you can freeze while you wait on your pathetic uncle to save you.”  
“My uncle is not pathetic! You and your husband are for doing this!”  
Sarah chuckled and looked at Amie, “I am a genius, and my husband will thank me one day.”  
This statement made Amie pause. “One day? You mean he doesn’t know?”  
“Of course, he knows!” Sarah spat back.  
“But he doesn’t like it….” Amie responded   
“He will see that I’m right.”   
“You know, I felt sorry for you when he hit you.”  
Sarah shot her a warning look. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”  
“At dinner! He said you fell of a ladder, but you didn’t, did you? He hit you.”  
“Do you want to know why he hit me? Because he found a note that these idiotic fuckers left behind from me.” She explained as she shot daggers at the men in the room. “He said that if Alfie had searched the desk instead of him that I would have a lot worse than a black eye.”   
“He was right.”  
Sarah looked at her with a bored expression. “Please. You Solomons are weak.”  
“We’ll see who’s weak when this is all settled.”  
Sarah laughed, “You do realize you’re tied to a chair and he has no idea where you are?”  
“Then how will he know where to take the papers?”  
“He won’t. I will go to him. Once Ollie lets me know- “  
“Ollie?” Amie interrupted.  
“That’s right. My husband might not appreciate what I am doing, but Ollie does.”  
“Why would Ollie help you?”  
“Because men don’t think with their brains, they think with their cocks.”  
“You’re sleeping with Ollie?” Amie asked in a disgusted tone  
“I needed someone on the inside and my husband wasn’t going to help me.”  
“And what does Ollie think he’s getting out of it?”  
“Me.” She said.  
“Is he?” the disgusted tone returning to her voice.  
“For fucks sake Amie, no. I love my husband. I am doing all of this because I love him.”  
“So, you are disobeying his wishes and fucking another man because you love him?” Amie asked sardonically  
“I think we have heard enough from you.” Sarah said before adding to Ewan, “Gag her.” And Ewan pulled a rag from his pocket and proceeded towards Amie.  
Amie tightened her mouth shut but it was no use since she had nowhere to go. Ewan stuffed the rag in her mouth until she thought she might choke. Then Sarah and Ewan left the room.  
Amie spit out the rag and looked around. She was in a concrete cellar of some kind; the room was a decent size with a fireplace but only one small window at the top of the wall. She attempted to look out the window, but she couldn’t see anything while she was laying on the ground. As she looked around the room for something get her out of the chair, she noticed the room was completely empty, and had been for quite some time by the looks of it. There was dirt and dust covering every inch of the room. She looked at the rock Sarah had used to bust the window and it came to her. The glass! She leaned and scooted with all of her might to the wall. As she got close to a large shard, she used her weight to tip her onto her side. She scooted a few feet more and got small pieces of glass in her shoulder and leg. Once she reached a piece of glass big enough to cut the ropes, she grabbed it and maneuvered her hand to be able to slice. She worked as hard as she could to cut the rope before anyone came back to her.   
Finally, the rope came undone and she cut the rope tying her other hand. Once both hands were free, she untied her feet. Looking at the window, she grabbed the rock Sarah had used and broke the remainder of the glass from the window to minimize the threat of cutting herself. She stood on the chair and as she was about to hoist herself up, the door opened.  
________________________________________________  
Tommy and Alfie went to the west side of town with their men. The woman who had witnessed the car with the hostage was being held in a café, watched by Finn. Seeing Tommy, Finn brought the woman outside and Tommy asked her questions of where the car was going. The woman pointed down a street that curved around and left the city. Tommy and Alfie looked at each other and nodded, speaking without words, and they left Birmingham.  
As they followed the curvy road it quickly turned from pavement to a gravel. Alfie looked at his pocket watch. 3 hours. Dread filled him as he wondered whether or not they were going in the right direction. He would give up his business if it meant she would be safe, but he knew Tommy wouldn’t. Alfie closed his eyes, This has to be the right way.  
Michael was in the car with Tommy, his stomach in knots. If I had told her to stay, she wouldn’t have been walking by herself to the station. When Tommy had told them what had happened and what the Scots were asking in return he knew there was no chance his family would give in. His mum didn’t care what happened to Amie, nor did John or Arthur. When Michael looked at Tommy, he could see it in his eyes. Tommy cared what happened to her. Michael knew it was because he had experienced the same type of fear that Alfie was when his son had been kidnapped. Tommy would have signed the company away if Charlie’s kidnappers had asked him to. Michael scanned the landscape as they drove. He hadn’t realized how thick the forest was on that side of town until now. He looked, hoping for a glimpse of something, anything, to let them know they were going in the right direction. He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes. Dammit Michael! She told you she loved you and you just fucking lied to her. He hated himself at that moment as he replayed their conversation and then replayed the nights they had spent together. When he opened his eyes, he noticed Tommy looking at him.   
“It’s not your fault Michael.” Tommy said as he looked back toward the road.  
“It’s all my fucking fault. If I hadn’t told her to leave-“  
“They would have picked her up somewhere else.”  
“If I hadn’t been fucking her, we wouldn’t have got caught and none of this would have happened.”  
Tommy nodded in a ‘you’re right’ sort of way and then slowed the car.  
___________________________________________________  
“Oh no you don’t!” The second Scottish man yelled as he ran forward.  
Amie lifted herself and had her shoulders and arms out of the window before he grabbed her and pulled her back. She screamed as the glass that hadn’t broken from the window cut her arms.   
“Let go of me!” She yelled as she struggled against the man, but he was too strong for her.  
“What’s going on?” Sarah demanded as her and Ewan ran into the room.  
“Caught this one trying to escape.” The Scottish man said to them as he grabbed Amie’s hair and jerked her head to the side. “What do you, uh, want me to do with her?” He asked as ran his nose up the curve of her neck and sniffed her hair. Amie cringed.   
“Tie her up again.” Sarah demanded “And one of you will sit in here with her, while the other blocks that damn window.”  
Sarah looked at Amie and watched her heavy breathing and the look of defiance on her face. “Fergus, you take the first round.” The man holding her laughed and Amie closed her eyes, where are you Uncle? Please come for me.  
Ewan and Sarah left Fergus to tie her up. Fergus grabbed Amie around the waist and pulled her close. “Your uncle has three and a quarter hours until times up. What kind of fun can we have while we wait, hm?”  
The man breathed in the scent of her hair from behind her and she slammed her head back, breaking his nose. Fergus yelled in pain as he covered his nose then he growled and advanced on her as she tried to run. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him and she tried to jerk away. Her foot slipped causing her to fall to the ground for a moment then he jerked her back up. In the split second she was down she grabbed the same shard of glass she had used to get free from the rope and shoved it towards the man as he pulled her up. She had shoved the shard of glass into his throat between his Adams apple and his chin.   
He gurgled a response as he took a stumbling step forward and fell. She looked at him for a split second and watched the large amount of blood drain from his throat, then she looked up quickly and ran for the window. She knew she would only have a moment to get through it before Ewan came around the cabin to block it. She hoisted herself up and climbed through the tiny window, thanking her mother for her petite figure. She made it through the window and ran toward the woods. She had just reached the edge of the forest when Ewan spotted her.

“Shit! She’s getting away!” He yelled, and Amie continued to run.  
__________________________________________________  
Tommy came to a stop and examined the road as it split in two. One went to the left and was gravel like the one they were on, the other went to the right and was more of a dirt trail. He got out of the car to look closer, Alfie did the same. 

“Which one do we take?” Michael asked as he walked up, he was too worried to sit in the car not knowing what was going on. 

Tommy looked at Alfie. “It’s your call.”


	17. Chapter 17

Alfie stared at the two options. He evaluated the gravel on both looking for a clue as to if a car had drove on either recently but the snow that had been falling covered any sign that might have been there. There were no tracks on the snow, clearly neither road had much traffic. Alfie took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he nodded to the left and said, “that one.”  
____________________________________________  
Amie heard yelling and rustling behind her. She knew Sarah’s men weren’t far and that the snow would lead them right to her. She could hear them getting closer behind her when she tripped over a snow-covered rock and fell.   
“You think you can run from us, bitch?” Ewan yelled angrily as he reached her.   
He grabbed her leg and pulled her toward him, she kicked at him trying to release his hold. As soon as she got close enough, he punched her, and everything went black.   
____________________________________________  
Dread filled Alfie as they drove down the road he had chosen. What if I chose wrong? He questioned. It wasn’t until they had drove another 10 minutes that he saw what he had been waiting for, a farmhouse with a handful of cars parked in the front.   
They exited the car, guns in their hands. Alfie walked forward slowly and met Tommy at the front.   
“It’s quiet.” Tommy said as he eyed the house.  
“Mm.” Alfie grunted in agreement.   
They both knew there should be more noise with this many cars parked outside. Alfie waved instructions for his men to go around the house and Tommy did the same on the other side. They had only made a it few feet when shots rang out of windows from the house, starting a shootout.  
Tommy and Alfie’s men took shelter behind the cars, unable to advance. A few men from each side of the shooting had fallen, and it wasn’t until John, who was hidden behind the car closest to the house, ran towards the house yelling in anger that anyone advanced. Once John had made the move, everyone followed. They ran inside the house shooting and throwing punches at anyone they found. Alfie and Tommy entered the house, men falling and fighting all around them. They made their way through the front of the house, fighting the men that got in their way when they found a staircase that went down into what they assumed was a cellar.   
As they started down the stairs two men came behind them and attacked. Tommy and Alfie fought the men, punching as hard as they could. Alfie pushed his man against the wall and headbutted him before he threw the man down the stairs, causing the door to open. Alfie heard a shot and ducked. He looked back and Tommy had blood splattered on his face. He had shot his man under his chin. Alfie looked and rushed down into the room and found Fergus dead with glass still in his neck.   
“There. The window.” Tommy said as he pointed to the small window and they ran to it, they could see blood and footprints in the snow.   
As they looked out the window, two pair of feet scuffled in the way. Both men fell, choking each other in their attempt to get the upper hand. When they fell, Tommy saw that it was Michael and drew his gun but was unable to get a shot on the other guy without the possibility of hitting Michael. They struggled for only a moment before Michael got the leverage and they heard a loud SNAP from the other man’s neck, then the man went still.   
Michael fell back to catch his breath, but Alfie yelled, “Kid! The tracks! Into the woods!” and Michael glanced over to look.   
Michael stood and took off into the woods while Tommy and Alfie made their way back through the fighting men and outside. Once outside, Alfie heard a scream coming from the woods.  
____________________________________________  
As Amie came to, she opened her eyes and the world was upside down. Ewan had thrown her over his shoulder and started walking to the house. As she finally began to process what was going on, she heard Sarah’s voice.

“You caught her. Good. Is she still alive?” She said as she caught her breath.  
“’Course she is still alive.” He responded. 

Suddenly, Amie jerked and because Ewan wasn’t prepared, he dropped her. She braced herself before hitting the ground and scurried to her feet. Before Ewan could grab her again, they heard gunshots in the distance, and they all paused and looked in the direction of the house.  
Amie smiled, he’s here! she looked at Sarah with a strong, defiant look. Sarah met her gaze in shock and seeing the expression on Amie’s face, became angry. Amie jolted toward the house, but Sarah grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her back, ripping hair from her head. Amie let out a scream.  
“Where do you think you’re going?” Sarah demanded as she struggled to pull Amie toward her.  
“Let go of me! You have already lost!”  
“Not if I kill you before he finds you! Ewan! Go see about the house!” Then Sarah looked at Amie, whose head was still limited by her hair.  
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Ewan ran toward the house and came upon Michael. They stood staring at each other, waiting for the other to make a move. Michael never took his eyes off Ewan’s and when Ewan’s eyes glanced to the right, Michael dove for him.   
Alfie began to run to the woods. Tommy wasn’t behind him, but he didn’t care. He had to get to her before they killed her. A man with a pistol stepped into his path and shot, but he missed. Alfie shot back, hitting a tree just inches from the man’s face. The man pulled his gun up once more, and out of nowhere Tommy punched him and the man dropped his gun. Alfie didn’t hesitate, he ran into the woods, grateful for the distraction Tommy had caused. There were footprints everywhere, he wasn’t sure which set to follow. C’mon Amelia, tell me where you are.  
________________________________________________  
Amie pulled away from Sarah, ripping out more of her own hair, and shoved her. Sarah leaned back but never lost her footing. She swung at Amie, hitting her above the eye. Amie retaliated with an open hand and clawed Sarah, scratching her across her cheek.   
“How dare you!” Sarah yelled.  
“I’m sorry your majesty, did I make you bleed?” Amie asked as she struggled to get her feet free from the mud that had formed because of the snow.   
Sarah lunged at her, knocking her down.  
_____________________________________________  
Alfie came up on Michael and Ewan and knew instantly Michael couldn’t win. Ewan was built like Alfie and had a brutality that Michael didn’t possess yet in his young age. Alfie drew his gun and shot but missed as Ewan ducked one of Michael’s swings. Alfie shot again but his gun clicked, he was out of bullets.   
“Hello, Alfie.” Ewan said and Alfie knew immediately he was the man that had called him.   
Alfie threw his empty gun to the ground and ran toward him. Abandoning his fight with Michael, Ewan ran at Alfie. Ewan swung at Alfie, but Alfie was ready, he ducked Ewan’s fist and got behind him. He wrapped his arm around Ewan’s throat and squeezed.   
Michael stepped forward to help, but Alfie yelled, “No! Go!” and jerked his head behind him and Michael went on. Looking for Amie.  
____________________________________________  
Ishmael knew Sarah was behind the fight they were having. He thought he had ended it the day he found that letter, but he was mistaken. He fought his way into the house, looking for her. When it was clear she wasn’t in the house he went back outside when he spotted Ollie leaned against a tree, watching the fighting. Ishmael ran up to him.   
“What are you doing, get in there?” He insisted.  
“No.” Ollie said, almost sounding bored.  
“No? What do you mean no? That’s a fucking order!”  
“I don’t take orders from you. Or from Alfie anymore.” He looked up at Ishmael whose arms were double the size of his. “See, I’m going to rule Camden Town, so you lot will be taking orders from me.”  
Ishmael looked at him, “Are you fucking mental?”  
“Sarah agrees with me.” He said casually.  
“Sarah?”  
“That’s right. She told me, after we finished making love.” He looked up at Ishmael with a cocky grin.  
“Yo-….What?” Ishmael asked  
“I have been fucking your wife.” Ollie said slowly as if Ishmael didn’t speak the same language.

Without warning Ishmael swung and hit Ollie on the nose, knocking him down. Ollie attempted to fight back but Ishmael got on top of him and started punching his face repeatedly and continued long after Ollie no longer moved. Then he got up and ran into the forest.  
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Sarah and Amie had slowly made their way to the top of the hill, swinging at each other, each one of them attempting to move up to get the high ground. By the time Michael had found them they were wrestling, grabbing anything they could to try and bash the other’s brains in.   
Amie stood, and took a step back only to find her foot slip on some rocks. She looked back and saw they were standing next to a 20-foot ledge that fell onto a rocky creek bed. She looked up at Sarah and could see a plan forming in her eyes.  
Michael watched as panic ran across Amie’s face. She hadn’t seen him yet and was stuck between a cliff and her enemy. Michael was afraid to yell for her; in case the distraction gave Sarah the advantage. He began to run towards her, hoping if he could get there in time, he could take down Sarah.  
Sarah lunged and attempted to push Amie, but Amie grabbed ahold of her hands and pulled her closer. The two women fell to the ground, Sarah managing to get on top of Amie. Amie picked up a rock and hit Sarah on the side of the head. Sarah wrapped her hands around Amie’s throat. Amie could see movement in the corner of her eye and looked to see Michael rushing towards her, all she had to do was hang on a moment longer. Everything began to blur as she struggled for air. Michael was almost to her when she couldn’t take anymore, she leaned and shoved with all of her might to throw Sarah.   
Sarah grabbed her at the last minute and both women fell over the ledge.


	18. Chapter 18

Michael was only feet away when they tipped over the ledge.

“Amie!” He yelled and then stopped, stunned at what he had just witnessed.  
“Michael?” He heard a struggling voice say and he ran to the edge. Amie was holding onto a rock that was sticking out of the cliff.   
She looked up at him, “My hand is slipping!”   
Michael bent down and reached for her, but the rock she was clinging to was too low for him to reach. He laid on his stomach and reached again, trying to get as close as possible.   
“You’re going to have to pull yourself up to where I can reach you.” Michael said as he stretched his arm as far as it would go.   
“I can’t! What if I slip or if you don’t catch my hand?” She said in a scared voice.  
“I will catch you.” He said calmly and Amie shook her head. “Amie, look at me.”  
Amie looked at him, frightful tears forming in her eyes.   
“I love you.” Her eyes went wide and he continued. “I know I lied to you when you told me you loved me. But I do, I love you, and I will catch you. You just have to trust me.”  
She stared at him  
“Ok?” He asked and she nodded slowly. “Ok. I am going to count to three. One…”  
His hand was outstretched toward her and she took a deep breath.  
“Two…”  
A crease formed between her eyes in determination.  
“Three!”  
Amie used her strength to pull herself up and reach for him. They were so concerned with trying to get her up they hadn’t noticed Sarah was also clinging to the wall of the cliff and as Michael said ‘three’ She wrapped her arm around Amie’s leg. Michael grasped Amie’s hand, but it slipped slightly as Sarah grabbed her. Michael barely had ahold of Amie, his fingers slipping from the weight of the two women.

“Let go of me!” Amie yelled at Sarah, but Sarah clung to Amie for dear life.  
Amie kicked at Sarah, hitting her in the face, but Sarah’s hold grew tighter.   
Amie could feel her hand slipping and she looked at Michael, “Don’t let go, please don’t let go!” She cried frantically.  
“I’m not letting go, Amie.” He said as he used all of his strength to pull her up, but the struggle Sarah was putting up made it difficult.   
Amie continued to kick down hitting Sarah’s nose over and over until finally Sarah’s hold slipped and she fell, screaming.   
“Pull me up! Pull me up!” Amie begged and Michael did.  
Once up from the ledge they fell on the ground breathing heavy and Amie began to sob tears of fear and relief at what had just happened. Michael wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried.  
______________________________________________  
Ewan elbowed Alfie in the kidney twice and Alfie released him and staggered back. Ewan withdrew a knife from his pocket and held it to the side, ready for Alfie. They stared at each other, their muscles twitching because of the tension. Suddenly Ewan yelled and ran towards Alfie, knife in the air ready to stab him. As his arm came down over Alfie, Alfie caught it. Ewan pushed with all his strength to get the knife to Alfie’s face and Alfie pushed as hard as he could to keep the knife from touching him. Getting a sudden burst of strength, Alfie threw Ewan’s arm away and the knife flew from his hand. They both ran towards the knife, Ewan tripping and falling to the ground. He grabbed Alfie’s ankle and Alfie fell. They heard running and looked up to see Ishmael running toward them. Ishmael saw the knife as he ran and he bent down and grabbed it, never losing his stride.   
Ewan quickly rolled to his back and began crawling backwards to get away, knowing Ishmael was coming for him. Ishmael swung his hand down, attempting to stab him, but Ewan rolled to the side at the right moment and the knife stabbed the ground. Ewan grabbed Ishmael and flung him to the ground. They began punching each other, Ewan pinning Ishmael to the ground. Alfie ran towards the knife, pulled it out of the ground and stabbed Ewan in the back. Ewan turned toward Alfie as he stabbed him again, this time in the chest. Ewan fell to the ground on his back and Alfie stabbed him repeatedly until the snow around him had turned red.   
“Sir?” Ishmael panted, “Where is Amie?”  
Alfie said nothing, only dropped the knife and quickly picked up his gun and began running to the direction Ewan and came from, refilling his revolver as he ran. Ishmael followed.  
They ran farther into the forest until the trees began to thin. When they came out of the forest, they saw Michael and Amie by the ledge, Amie crying into Michael’s chest. Michael looked up and his body went stiff, thinking he had to get up and fight again. When he saw who it was, he relaxed, and Amie looked up. The moment she saw Alfie she stumbled to her feet and ran towards him. Alfie limped a few steps and opened his arms as she jumped into them. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and buried her face.   
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” She sobbed.  
“Shhh, it’s alright.” Alfie soothed as he dropped to his knees, his arms firmly around his niece.   
She continued to sob into his neck and said in a thick voice, “I broke the rules, I’m so sorry! Please let me come home, please I’m sorry…”  
“None of that matters now, love.” He said as he petted her hair down the back of her neck.” None of it matters.”

Ishmael looked around, for any sign of Sarah. He could tell there had been a fight, so he walked to the ledge and looked over. His wife, the reason for all of this, was lying in a puddle of blood, her body broken on the dried-up creek bed. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, then looked back toward his boss and Amie.   
Amie leaned back, “C-can I c-come home?”   
“Are you joking? I’m tying you to my fucking side.” Alfie said with a relieved smile as he held her face. “I killed the Scottish man; I just have to find who hired him.”  
Amie looked at him, “It was Sarah. She’s dead. She fell from the ledge.”  
Alfie looked at Ishmael, hesitated for a moment then picked up his gun and pointed it at him. Ishmael looked at Alfie’s gun but didn’t react. Amie got up quickly and backed toward Ishmael, her hands up towards her uncle.  
“Wait, wait! He’s not a part of it! She told me!”  
“It’s alright, Miss Amie. He’s justified.” Ishmael said.  
“NO! You tried to stop her!”  
“But I knew. And I withheld it from him. Now, move over and let him do what he needs to do.” Ishmael took a deep breath and closed his eyes, waiting for Alfie to pull the trigger.  
“No, please!” Amie said as she ran towards her uncle and fell to her knees, staring him in the face. “He hit her to make her stop. Ollie! He helped her. Not Ishmael. Kill Ollie!”  
Alfie looked at Amie with a confused look.   
“Ollie is dead.” Ishmael interjected. “I killed him. She told him he would be in charge of Camden Town if he helped.”  
“Yeah and she was sleeping with him.” Amie added without thinking.   
Ishmael’s jaw clenched and guilt rose inside Amie as she saw the hurt of her betrayal in his eyes.   
“Please don’t kill him.” Amie said turning her attention to her Uncle.   
“And what do you have to say, hmm?” Alfie asked Ishmael angrily.  
“I withheld information from you. And she was my wife I should have controlled her better. But you’re my captain, sir. My loyalty lies with you and I will spend the rest of my life making up for what she did.”  
Alfie looked at him for a moment before lowering his gun. Amie released a sigh of relief.   
“Can we go now? I’m so bloody tired of Birmingham.” Amie said and Alfie chuckled and stood.   
Alfie put his arm around his niece’s shoulders, and she wrapped hers around his waist then she paused and looked back at Michael. She held out her hand to him and he looked at Alfie.  
Alfie rolled his eyes, “Oh, go on then. It’s not like I haven’t seen you fucking. What’s a hand holding?”  
“UNCLE!” Amie said shocked as her face flushed with embarrassment.  
“If you think I’m not going to use that as blackmail you are very mistaken. It’s fucking scarred on my brain, I think I almost went blind from seeing it.”  
“I would prefer we never speak of it again.”  
“I would prefer never to have seen it.”  
“We can’t all have what we want, you know.”   
“Says who?” Alfie retorted. “We are Solomons. We always get what we want… Or we kill ‘em and then take it.”

Amie walked out of the forest with her two favorite men by her side and Ishmael following. When they came to the house, they saw what was left of Alfie and Tommy’s men walking around making sure all of their enemies were dead. They heard a shot and looked over to see Arthur finishing off a man who was already dying.   
“Michael. You alright?” Tommy said as he walked up and Michael nodded.   
Tommy looked at Amie, “And you?”  
“Yeah, I’m alright.” She said with a small smile as she leaned her head against her uncle’s arm, relieved that it was all over.   
Alfie looked down at her, “Let’s go home, yeah?”   
Amie nodded.  
As they drove back to London, Amie fell asleep, her head laying on Alfie’s shoulder. He had his little girl back. This had all proved to him that he had made the right decision in giving her his name as a baby. She was smart, resourceful, and a bit of a smart ass, just like him. He thought back to what she had said that day he left her in the street…”you’re my dad…” and he smiled. She was his child, and he knew with help from him, she would be the toughest Solomons yet, all he had to do was teach her the secrets of the world he did business in.  
___________________________________________________  
Two Weeks Later…..

Amie walked into the restaurant and gave her name for the host to walk her to her table. Michael was there waiting for her and as she walked up, he stood.  
“How have you been?” He asked as they sat.  
“I have been very well. Alfie has been letting me do a lot more with the company and things feel like they’re progressing in my favor. I’m not that scared naïve girl I was when this all started.”  
“No. Now, you’re a woman.” Michael smiled as he raised her class to toast her.  
“Now I am a woman.” Amie agreed and raised her glass to meet his.  
They stared at each other for a moment before Michael said, “So, what does that mean for us?”  
Amie gave him a weak smile and replied, “I loved you. I will probably always love you. You were exactly what I needed when I needed it. But you know as well as I do that it would only end nasty. Perhaps if we were different people from different families….” She shrugged.  
“We never would have met.” Michael interjected. “But, you’re right. It’s better to move on now, as friends than to continue into something that would probably cause another war between our families.”  
“Mmm” She agreed. “But we do make a pretty good team though.” She added with a smile.  
“I’m not sure you could consider that a team. I always seem to just be there while you kill people.” Michael responded with a laugh.  
“Don’t sell yourself short. Emotional support is just as important as actually helping…. Or so they say.”   
“Always so fucking cheeky.” He said shaking his head.  
“Tell you what. If neither one of us is married by the time we take over our family businesses, we can combine them and rule them together. Yeah?”   
“Yeah.” He agreed, not meaning it, and they got up. They kissed one long last kiss and looked at each other, both content with the mutual decision they had made and went their separate ways.   
Amie walked into Alfie’s rum house and went into his office. He shuffled papers and glanced up at her.   
“What are you smiling about?” He asked.   
“Oh, just thinking about what I am going to do when I take over the business.”  
He raised his eyebrows and stopped. “Oh? And what is that?”  
Amie’s face broke into a broad smile and Alfie saw a familiar twinkle in her eyes as she said, “I’m going to take over the Peaky Fuckin’ Blinders.”


End file.
